Camp Lonestar
by Lynx82
Summary: While looking through some of her old things, Emma finds a picture of herself aged 16. Written on the back in her own writing are two words... "I wish..." She remembers the wish very well, it was the same wish she'd had her whole life. She wished someone, somewhere, cared about her. Meanwhile, across town Regina disappears into the past in a puff of Fairy magic. SwanQueen endgame.
1. Chapter 1

Summary

Whilst looking through a few of her old things, Emma finds a picture of herself aged sixteen. She barely remembers life back then but she knows she was entirely miserable. She turns the photo over to see two words written in her own teenage writing... "I wish..." She remembers the wish very well. It was the same wish she'd had her whole life, she wished someone, somewhere cared. Meanwhile, across town Regina disappears in a puff of Fairy magic.

This is a slow burn pre SwanQueen/SwanQueen piece that does feature Hook, although not in a particularly favourable way. It's also my first attempt at writing since I did my A-levels many moons ago. Please be kind, or at least constructive.

Rated M for later chapters.

No beta. I own nothing.

* * *

Emma Swan was lying on her bed in the group home feeling very sorry for herself. In the morning she should have been heading off to summer camp, but due to a series of rather unfortunate and somewhat annoying events, she wasn't anymore. She had been so excited when she had first been told, finally, she got to do something that the 'normal' kids got to do. The other kids at the school she was currently attending had been talking about summer, and which camps they would be attending for weeks now, all of the cool kids were heading for 'Camp Stargazer'.

When she had received a letter informing her of her 'state funded' place she had been so excited that she had skim read the details. She'd seen the words 'Camp' and 'star' and that was enough to send her mood skyrocketing. The next day she had merrily waved that letter around for all to see, and as was the way things went in Emma's life it took her classmates all of five seconds to piss on her parade. Billy Morgan, the loud-mouthed class bell-end, snatched the letter off her in disbelief. He just couldn't believe that there was any way that Emma Swan, the scrappy orphan that no one wanted, got to go to Camp Stargazer when his parents couldn't afford to send him.

His suspicions were correct.

It took him those five seconds to notice something that Emma, in her excitement hadn't. She was not going to the luscious and beautiful Camp Stargazer as she had claimed. No, she was being sent to the poor-mans knock off on the other side of town called Camp Lonestar. When her error had been duly noted by all within earshot Emma was left feeling disappointed and really annoyed with herself for not noticing sooner. She was humiliated and it was partly her own doing. Still, Billy Morgan was a fucking prick and because of that, she chinned him.

And because of that. No summer camp.

Meanwhile, in present-day Storybrooke, a slightly frazzled blonde Sheriff sent her son a quick text from her seat across from the suspiciously empty opposing bench in her and Regina's favourite booth.

 **You seen your mom? She was supposed to be meeting me at the diner**

* * *

Regina woke up with a massive headache. Her first instinct was to question what the hell had happened the previous night to leave her in such a state. She forced her sleep-addled brain to think back to the night before. Henry was staying over at Snow and David's, helping Snow prepare for a resource heavy lesson the next day. The last thing she remembered was sitting beside her open fire getting lost the book she had been reading for a few days now. She had been enjoying a lovely glass of red (one of her favourite vintages, why not treat herself?) and then... nothing. She couldn't remember any more.

As she became more aware of her surroundings she realised something alarming, she wasn't in her own bed. This one was nowhere near as comfortable as the one in her mansion. That was like sleeping in a cloud. This bed was not like that at all, it smelled different and was much harder. It wasn't uncomfortable, it just wasn't her own. Also, the light streaming in through the window was an odd hue. Mornings in Storybrooke were usually quite crisp in colour, here, wherever here was, had a warm orangey tint. It was annoying, she thought to herself that the room really needed some new curtains.

Then she heard a noise and felt the bed move next to her. Just as the fear of yet another terrible life choice assaulted her, she was greeted by a furry fuss of love as a black and white blur jumped on top of her and licked her face.

"Good morning handsome." She giggled as she tried her best to fend him off. It's was only Jasper.

Wait, Jasper?

That's when she realised why she had a massive headache. In addition to her life as Regina Mills, the once great and powerful Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest turned small town Mayor and mother, she was surprised to realise that she remembered a whole other life too. A life where this was indeed her bed and the excitable black and white dog snuggling into her side was her faithful and adored companion.

She had absolutely no idea how she had got here and that troubled her slightly, obviously something magical was afoot. Out of curiosity, she held up her hand and tried to summon a fireball. Nothing. There was no magic here. Wherever the hell 'here' was.

She closed her eyes and frowned as she tried to recall any information that might help her figure out where she was, the whole while absently tickling Jasper's tummy. One thing was for sure, she wasn't in Storybrooke anymore.

* * *

After receiving Emma's text Henry had tried calling his brunette mother, sadly to no avail. He hadn't seen her since the day before when they had all had lunch together and neither had anyone else it would seem. It was entirely unlike her to just vanish, even on the odd occasion she had needed her space she always made a point to let him know she was safe. This was very out of character and Henry was concerned. He had agreed to meet Emma at the mansion to see if there were any clues there as to her whereabouts and when he arrived, he found her waiting for him on the front porch.

"Thanks for waiting Ma, but you could have just gone in." Its true, the hero squad were all so familiar with each other these days that not one of them batted an eyelid when another sauntered into their home.

"I know kid, but I figured if she is sick, she's less likely to fireball my ass if you are here too." She said with a smile. They both shared an amused smirk.

"As if she would ever fireball you." Henry said with an affectionate shoulder check whilst pushing the door open.

"Need I remind you that she did just that, only last week!" Emma fired back whilst following him into the house.

"MOM! Are you here?" Henry shouted into the large foyer, he paused to wait for a response and when nothing came he turned back to Emma and said in a much quieter voice "That's because you trampled her geraniums... I'm starting to worry a little."

"Yeah, me too kid. Let's have a look around" Emma suggested.

They started with the ground floor and when they came to the study Emma immediately noticed that the fire hadn't been extinguished properly and there was a half drunk glass of wine sitting on the side table near a rumpled blanket and discarded book.

Henry looked at Emma with alarm. He knew his mother well enough to know she would never leave a fire unattended nor a half drunk glass of wine lying around. She was far too neat for that.

"Oh my gods Ma, she's been taken!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Regina lay in bed as she stretched out her sleepy muscles and slowly allowed herself to wake up properly. Something very odd was going on but she found to her surprise that she didn't feel at all threatened. She knew that she should be feeling more alarmed, after all she was in a strange place with no idea of how she got there, but still she felt calm and happy. Much happier than she had felt in years in fact. Maybe even ever.

As she pondered just why that was she surmised that it must be the influence of the new memories she had of a whole other life. The happy and worry-free life of a woman called Ria. According to those memories, Ria worked is a social worker for the state and it was currently the year 1999. Regina found that very interesting, for some reason, it would seem that she had travelled back in time to assume this woman's life. She had never heard of a spell that could do that before.

Eventually, she was forced to rise from the bed as her bladder started to protest, so she got up and headed for the bathroom with her new black and white shadow following close behind. As soon as she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, she gasped with surprise. Looking back at her was a face that wasn't quite her own. It was very similar, Ria bore a striking resemblance to her, but with a few subtle differences. This face was a tiny bit thinner and her hair was shorter and sticking out in every direction. Most noticeably though, there was no scar on her upper lip. With total shock Regina realised that she hadn't just gained this woman's memories, she was also inhabiting her body.

With that realisation, her eyes once more looked upon her reflection, where she noticed for the first time how big her shoulders were. With avid curiosity, she looked down at her body and saw it was much more athletic and toned than she had ever been. She ran her hand down her muscular arm and across her abs and stomach as she found herself revelling in the feeling of being physically strong and powerful.

In that moment, she found herself thinking of her mother, who had always limited the amount of physical exercise she was allowed to do as a child. Any activity that would lead to any muscle growth was strictly off the cards. When a young Regina had asked her mother why she wasn't allowed to play outside, she had been told that no man would desire her if "She looked like she was more interested in wrestling him than lying back and opening her legs."

Her diet had also been a matter for tight scrutiny. Cora saw to it that her petite size was maintained by a meagre diet and on the few occasions she had been brave enough to mention her hunger she had been informed that her discomfort was irrelevant as she was destined to be the Queen, and that would never happen if she "Got any fatter."

After finally ridding herself of her mother's control, she was well on her way to becoming a powerful witch in her own right and devoted all of her free time to her studies. The desire she had felt as a child to run, climb and ride was born from her desire to be free of her mother's tyrannical rule. When she finally was, she had other interests to pursue and a banging body to boot, so physical exercise had fallen by the wayside.

Regina's attention shifted back to the present as she continued to run her hand over her muscles in awe. Her own body was slim and toned and she was very proud of it, it was truly beautiful. But so was this one, in a totally different way. She knew that Ria took great care of it and because of that, she respected it immensely.

She smiled at her reflection one last time before heading off back to her room. She had absolutely no idea what she was meant to be doing here or why she was even here at all, so she figured, for now, the best thing to do was to just 'play along' and continue to do what Ria would normally be doing. Ria ran every morning, so she pulled on her running kit and prepared to leave the house.

* * *

The night before Emma should have been going to camp was a tough one for her. She was so unbelievably angry. She was wound so tightly that she felt that she could literally explode at any time.

She was angry with her shitty lot in life. She was angry with the state for giving her false hope. She was angry with the school for suspending her. She was angry with the carers at the group home for telling her it was her own fault and she was angry with fucking Billy Morgan for making her look stupid.

But most of all she was angry with herself.

She had allowed herself to believe that maybe she would get to have something nice for once. Maybe she wasn't as worthless as she was constantly made to feel, maybe she deserved this opportunity. But as usual, life had kicked her in the gut. Who was she kidding? She didn't deserve nice things, she felt stupid for believing she was worth anything at all.

She was so frustrated that she felt like she could cry. But of course she wouldn't, what good would that do? She laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling with her fists clenched as she desperately tried to keep it all in. Showing weakness was not an option.

She didn't want to go down for dinner. She knew that in her current emotional state it was a bad idea. Still, at 6.05 one for the carers came to get her.

"Swan, food time, let's go." He said in a bored but authoritative tone.

"I'm not feeling so well this evening." She replied. "I think I need to skip." It was the truth, she was so wrapped up in her own destructive thoughts that she knew she wouldn't be able to stomach any food and the thought of the other kids winding her up was too much.

"Oh no you don't, you eat now. I'm not having you moaning later that you are hungry cos I sure as hell am not making you anything else. Move it!"

That was it, that was all she needed to light the touch paper to set off the explosion. Why the fuck did no one ever listen to her? She had tried to tell him. In a heartbeat she was up off the bed and in his space. "I AM NOT HUNGRY." She shouted, her body shaking with the effort of self-restraint. He wasted no time in squaring up to her, he was physically bigger than her by quite a long way.

"Back down Swan and get your ass downstairs now." He said in a low and surprisingly calm voice. "Otherwise you are going on report and you won't be going anywhere tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" She asked in confusion.

"The summer camp thing." He replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

She was really confused now. She had assumed that she wouldn't be going anywhere after the trouble at school. Hope very briefly trickled back to her before remembering that it wasn't what she had originally thought. Still, it had to be better than here right?

"I...I'm still going?" She asked almost unbelieving.

"You might as well." He said in a flippant tone. "It's all arranged, no one could be bothered to cancel it."

Charming.

The thought of getting out of this place was very appealing. She forgot all about the confrontation of a few moments ago and headed out of the door and downstairs for dinner with a little flicker of hope dancing in her eyes.

* * *

Emma looked over at her near panicked son, truth be told she wasn't far off panicking herself.

"Calm down kid. We don't know that she's been taken." She said in the most reassuring voice she could muster.

"Just look around Ma, we both know there is no way she would leave the study in this state. Something is not right here. You know it. We have to think... " He spun in wild circles as he tried to come up with a plan to find Regina.

"Got it!" He exclaimed, punctuating his statement with a loud clap. "Grab that map of the town, let's go, we need to see Aunt Zelina." He charged out of the study with Emma hot on his heals with map in hand.

It didn't take long to drive out to the barn that the Wicked Witch of the West had made her home. Just as Henry and Emma reached the door, Zelina appeared in a puff of green smoke behind them.

"If you knock on that door and wake my baby, I swear to the gods I will kill you!"

"It's nice to see you Aunt Zelina," replied Henry with all the charm and grace of his missing mother at her politician best. "Has little Robyn been keeping you up? I'm sorry to hear that."

"You really are her son aren't you." She said looking him up and down. "Don't try and schmooze me and since when have you called me 'Aunt'? What do you want?"

"Look Zelina," Emma started, deciding that in the witches current state of obvious sleep deprivation, honesty was the best policy. "Regina is missing, we went to her place and it looks like she has been taken. We need your help to find her"

"Well dears, as much as I would love to help you both. I'm afraid I can't leave the house right now." The redhead replied with a yawn.

"You don't need to. We just need a drop of your blood for a locator spell." Henry reassured her. Zelina thought about it for a while.

"Ok, come in. But be quiet..." She finally replied.

A few minutes later, all three were stood around her kitchen table. "Here goes." She said, jabbing a large pin into the middle finger of her left hand, letting the blood drop onto the centre of the map of Storybrooke. The blood moved in one quick circle of the map and then returned to the centre where it disappeared without a trace.

"What does that mean?" Emma asked with an alarmed voice.

"That means, dear Sheriff, that my sister is not in Storybrooke." Zelina answered in a thoughtful tone laced with a touch of concern.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Regina and Jasper had been running for an hour before she started to feel even vaguely tired, she looked at her watch and saw that she really should be heading back to get ready for work. She'd had time to think whilst running and had come to a few conclusions. Obviously, this had something to do with magic. But time travel was very tricky and as far as she knew only Zelina and very few others held that power. Why would Zelina have sent her back to 1999? There must be a reason she was there and a reason she had assumed Ria's life. No, she didn't think her sister was involved. Their relationship was often strained but they were working through their many problems and succeeding, for the most part, to co-exist. There was definitely something else at play here.

Ria was well used to running these roads and it appeared that they had been on a loop as they found themselves back at the house ten minutes later. Jasper barked happily a few times and ran straight for his water bowl, Regina smiled as she watched him go. Her host had got the Border Collie three years ago from a re-homing centre. He had been eighteen months old at the time and had come from a family with young children. They had given him up when they'd realised that they didn't have enough time for him. This dog could run all day and still frantically search for a ball on his return home, his energy was boundless and a backyard just wasn't cutting it for him. For Ria it was love at first sight, he was excellent company and fit in well with her active lifestyle. He loved their weekends away, when they would go hiking and paddling, but he was never entirely thrilled when they went climbing. Climbing confused him, he didn't get what his human was doing halfway up a rock face.

Regina stripped out of her running kit and turned on the shower, waiting for it warm up a little. Again she took the time to admire Ria's amazing body, she had just run for seventy minutes and still felt full of energy. Maybe she should do more physical activities when she gets back to Storybrooke she mused as she soaped up, again enjoying the feeling of running her hand over her toned body.

She found herself thinking it was unfortunate that she only had time for a quick shower as she still had to pack before work. Today she was supposed to be temporarily moving out. Every summer Ria took a break from her usual role and acted as a mentor and activity instructor at one of the local summer camps. She would be paired up with a small group of teenagers in the system and would attempt to help ready them for the world beyond state-funded care under the guise of having fun.

It wasn't an easy job. More often than not the teens would be reluctant to take part but she knew that was just a by-product of their upbringing. These kids had had it pretty rough and most had been offered little guidance and showed little or no care and affection growing up. It was a tough gig but Ria absolutely thrived on the chance to have even a small effect on these kids lives.

An hour later they were all packed. Jasper, of course, came too, he was almost better at the job than she was. She locked up and drove off towards Camp Lonestar with the windows down and the Chilli Peppers playing on the radio.

* * *

Emma had returned to her room after a very mediocre dinner downstairs. It didn't taste of much and there hadn't been enough for seconds.

Her thoughts turned to packing for her trip in the morning. What do you even need to pack for a summer camp she wondered. She then realised that that line of thought was rather pointless as she didn't actually own much and she would have to take it all anyway as she didn't even know if she was coming back here after. So she packed her limited collection of checked shirts, white vests, beanie hats and jeans. She didn't have a coat, it had been ripped in a fight a few months ago and never been replaced. She didn't suppose she would need one though. It was summer after all.

Once all that she owned was in her small bag, she laid back on her bed and waited for the morning to come.

It did. Eventually. After breakfast, a beat up old van with 'Camp Lonestar' emblazoned on the side, in slightly faded hand-painted letters appeared in front of the house.

"That will be for you Swan, don't fuck it up. There's no room back here for you if you do, we have an emergency placement taking your bed. Have a nice month." Were the words of encouragement from the carer on duty.

'A month!' She thought hoping it wasn't going to be totally shit as she apparently had nowhere to come back to. The story of her life.

The drive took about half an hour. She had tried talking to the driver about what to expect when she arrived, but he hadn't been very forthcoming. It turns out it was his first week on the job and he didn't really know what sort of things they did at camp. Just how to get her there. She thought it was odd that she was the only passenger in the van. She had assumed they would be picking a few people up on the way but apparently not.

They finally arrived, Emma knew this because they had driven slowly past a sign proclaiming;

Camp Lonestar

Where every star burns bright

She shook her head and wondered what on earth she had got herself involved in. After the van was parked, she said thanks to the driver, grabbed her bag and headed in the direction she was pointed in.

She made her way into one of the larger log cabins, the door she entered through was a bit shabby and in need of a lick of paint but when she opened it and stepped inside she was amazed to see that it opened into a large open space filled with a small kitchen, dining area, comfortable sofa, tv and games area. All of this was impressive but it wasn't what had grabbed Emma's attention.

No, that was the view. The whole back of the cabin was one huge glass wall looking out onto a vast lake beyond. Towards the back, there was even a glass panel in the floor showing the shallow edge of the lake below where the cabin left the land and was supported by stilts out across the water. She had never seen anywhere quite as beautiful.

Regina was nervous, any minute now she was going to meet Ria's new charge. Shortly after arriving at camp she had received a call informing her that three of the girls she was supposed to be working with had absconded and therefore her numbers were down to one. She hoped they got on, a month is a long time to spend with someone if you don't like each other.

Ria had a strategy for first meets. The camp would, of course, receive the young person's official file before they arrived but she didn't read them, a file could only tell you so much about a person. Sometimes knowing all the horrible details about a young person's life can only negatively affect your interactions.

She isn't stupid though, she would get one of her colleagues to have a read through and tell her any information they thought could impact the first meeting. She had tasked her colleague and friend Hannah with this job as soon as she had arrived and her assessment was "Nothing you need to know other than it's been a pretty shit life so far." No assault charges then, that's a bonus.

She was waiting on the mezzanine level of the cabin when, a few minutes later a teenage girl with long blonde hair walked in. Regina couldn't see her face but from her high vantage point, she immediately recognised the younger version of her best friend. She was thin, painfully so, even by Emma's current standard (Regina was always trying to fatten up, she believed she looked much better when she wasn't all harsh edges). She was wearing a worn checked shirt and grey beanie hat, she was unmistakable.

Regina's silent gasp sucked all of the air from the room, or at least to her it felt like it had. She needed air, fast. She silently exited the mezzanine out onto the balcony where she leant over the railing looking out over the lake. This can't be, she thought. She was in Emma's past, how the hell had that happened? She had so many questions. She was pleased to see her friend but at the same time almost scared. What must her life be like to earn her a place here?

The pair had talked about their childhoods but hadn't gone into a lot of detail. Enough to recognise they were kindred spirits in a way. But no real specifics.

Regina almost panicked as she realised that she must be there to help young Emma in some way. She honestly had no idea how she was going to do that, she only hoped that Ria's expertise would be useful.

In the time it took for Regina to work her way through all of the thoughts currently marauding through her mind, Emma has disengaged from the view and found a staircase up to the mez. At the top of the stairs, she noticed a figure through the wall of glass. She moved closer to the door that clearly led out to the balcony but paused before she got there. The figure she was looking at was quite possibly the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Her short dark hair was moving in the breeze and her skin glowed in the light of the radiant summers day. She was looking out across the lake like she was desperately trying to understand all of the world's secrets. Emma wondered what could possibly be putting a frown upon this perfect creature's face. She felt a sudden and powerful urge to go to her and do everything in her power to fix whatever the problem was.

She pushed open the door and announced herself.

"Hi, I'm Emma"

 **AN: Thanks for all the follows and favourites.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Hi, I'm Emma. I've just been dropped off for summer camp and I don't really know where I am supposed to be." She offered, hoping to start a conversation with the mystery woman.

Regina drew back in surprise at the sudden sound of Emma's voice. Luckily the part of her that was Ria kicked in.

"Oh hey," she replied. "I'm Ria. I'm an Instructor and mentor here at camp. I'm going to be working with you while you are here." She smiled and extended her hand for the young blonde to shake.

Emma reached out and took the offered hand in her own. She was absolutely mesmerised by the woman standing before her. Not only was she astonishingly beautiful but she also wanted to shake her hand. No adults ever offered out their hand to her, it was a sign of respect and equality. No one respected her and she certainly wasn't seen as anyone's equal. This small act had totally blown her mind. Could it be possible that she saw her as an actual person and not the worthless orphan everyone else saw? Her mouth went dry.

"Oh, ok. Erm... it's nice to meet you... Ria," she paused, "wow, erm... " was as far as Emma got before breaking eye contact. She lifted her free hand up to run it through her hair while taking back her other and stepping backwards. Being so close to the other woman was overwhelming and as Emma tried to regain her composure, she subconsciously swept her gaze down the full length of Ria's body, the whole while inadvertently licking her lips.

Regina was surprised, but she had of course seen this reaction before. She was, let's face it a very attractive woman in either body and was well used to getting this reaction upon meeting some people for the first time. But she had not expected it from the youthful Emma Swan stood in front of her. Was Emma checking her out?

In the Saviours early days in Storybrooke, they had quite frequently stared each other out in an anything but innocent manner. But that had been about dominance, not sexual desire. Or so she had told herself at the time. Was Emma even into women? It had never come up in conversation, but then why should it have? She had been involved with Hook for years and was now engaged to be married to him. It wasn't like Regina had felt the need to divulge her sexual preferences either. Neither women's desired quality's in a bedmate were relevant to the successful co-parenting of their son. Plus, she was sure that it would make their friendship a tad awkward if Emma knew that her preferences ran towards blonde haired women with a penchant for red leather.

Regina flushed with embarrassment at her inappropriate curiosity. It was immaterial. She was with Hook.

"Shall we take your bag to your room?" Regina quickly asked, trying to move on from the slight awkwardness that had settled over them.

"Oh, sure," Emma replied cheerily. She was glad of the distraction.

"Great!" the brunette said with a smile that could light up a city street after sunset, "follow me." And with that, Regina led her back through onto the mez and pushed open the nearest door as she announced: "Here we are!"

Emma peered in through the door at the reasonably sized room containing a single bed, draws and a wardrobe.

"WOW!" Exclaimed the astonished teen. "I get to stay here? In my own room?" She asked in wonderment. She had never had her own room. A space for just herself.

"Yes, it's all yours." The brunette said in a level voice hiding her surprise at Emma's question.

They may well have had emotionally similar childhoods. But the practicalities were very different. Regina had never had to share a thing in her young life. She had grown up an only child, and a wealthy one at that. She had never had to contend with other people sharing her things. However, she would have gladly given up everything she had for some company.

"My room is just across the hall here," Regina said as she motioned over to the door for her own room. "One of the rules of the camp is that I can't come into your room without permission, and you can't come into mine. But I am always available. Just knock and I will come out as soon as possible." Ria's professionalism supplied.

"Ok," Emma said, still a little shocked by her new circumstances. In the space of one day, she had gone from sitting on her bed at the group home, angry and hopeless to being shown to her own room in the most beautiful place she had ever seen. Not only that, but she was being shown there by someone who seemed to be genuinely interested in her. She wasn't an inconvenience to be tolerated, she was being treated like an actual person for the first time in a very long time.

It was all too good to be true. Good things just didn't happen to Emma Swan. As enamoured as she was with this 'Ria', her past experiences have proved that there had to be a catch to this. She couldn't let this seemingly amazing situation continue, only to have it shatter later. The one little bit of control she had in her life right now was to choose when and where this illusion would end. That was now.

"Ok lady, I'm calling bull shit. What's going on here?" She asked. "What am I actually going to be doing here? The cleaning or something? What's the trick?"

Regina's heart broke a little in that moment. Of course Emma would struggle to accept this as a real opportunity. Her life up until now had been full of disappointments and neglect. She was hardwired to presume that every situation was either a trick or would end in shit. Because for her, it invariably had.

"There is no trick Emma, can a call you Emma? Or is there something else you prefer?" Regina asked. She knew it was important to show Emma respect. Her job was to empower her, not dominate or make her submit to any will not her own. This programme is all about choice, not forced compliance. The God's know she'd had enough of that in her short lifetime.

"Emma is fine." The teen confirmed, the question only adding to her confusion.

"Well, officially this programme was designed for young people of your age and situation, to help enable you to succeed in life when you age out of the system. Unofficially, we get to mess around with the camp equipment and have fun."

"Ok, honesty, that makes a change. But I still don't really understand, nobody has given a shit for the last sixteen years. Why the fuck would anyone care now?"

* * *

Back in present-day Storybrooke Emma had summoned the squad to an emergency meeting at the sheriff station. Of course, Snow, David and Killian had come at once. Now they were just waiting for Gold, unsurprisingly. He wasn't one to be summoned anywhere, at least not while his free will was at play. Emma had carefully mulled over calling him at all, to be honest, but without Regina's magical knowledge to tap into he was her next best bet in terms of a magical solution.

"Why have you called us here, Emma? What's wrong?" Snow asked with concern in her voice. Emma had wanted to wait until everyone was there but she knew she had to answer her mother, she had called them there urgently and making the pixie-haired woman wait seemed cruel.

"Regina is missing," Emma announced plainly. "It looks like she disappeared from her study last night."

When her statement was met by nothing but silence, she looked intently at each of her companions, thoroughly puzzled by their lack of concern.

"I said, Regina is missing." She repeated, hoping to encourage a response out of someone. Snow took a deep breath, then finally opened her mouth to talk.

"Are you sure? You know what she can be like, maybe she just needed some space?" Snow offered thoughtfully. "I mean, she is a pretty private person. Maybe something has upset her..." she paused for a moment to think, "maybe she wasn't as ok with your engagement as she said she was."

"No, that's not it." The sheriff said, slightly annoyed by her mother's dismissive reaction.

"Think about it Emma, she did look pretty shocked when you told her the news. Maybe she's jealous because she will never get to have that with Robin."

"No mom, I talked to her about it properly after you left. She promised me she was absolutely fine. She asked me if I was happy, I said yes and she said that if I was happy, then she was happy for me... she can be pretty private, yes, but not with me. I promise she would never leave without talking to me. We talk about this kind of stuff."

"How lovely for the both of you" Hook muttered under his breath, but somehow, Emma still heard him from across the room. She frowned at the comment, what was that supposed to mean? It actually was pretty great for the pair of them. Their friendship had certainly been challenging to begin with but after everything they have been through, all the loses and sacrifices, there had been gain and healing on both sides. So yes, their trust and mutually aided emotional growth and friendship was pretty "lovely for them". Hook's comment annoyed her, but she decided to let it go as she had bigger things on her mind at that moment. As if on cue, it was at that exact moment that Gold and Belle walking in through the door.

"Good afternoon Miss Swan," he said, totally ignoring everyone else. "Or should I say Mrs Jones? Has that farce happened yet?" He enquired with a glint in his eye, almost as if he knew something that everyone else didn't. Emma just ignored his comment as The Dark One's opinions on her relationships mattered nought to her, she let the comment slide in favour of finding out whether or not he knew anything.

"Gold, thank you for coming. As I mentioned on the phone, Regina seems to be missing. I think she may have been taken against her will, have you felt any disturbances in the force, or whatever, lately?" She asked, earning herself an eye roll at his annoyance over the pop culture reference. In that moment, Emma found herself wondering if that was where Regina got that habit from. He was her tutor after all, and let's not even mention the extracurricular activities he and the Evil Queen had been up to a few months ago.

The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She, more than anyone, had been really bothered by those particular revelations. For any part of Regina to default to trading her body for control made the blonde feel sick to her stomach. A woman like her should be revered, respected and loved, and the fact that there was a part of Regina that didn't see that and place that worth on herself saddened Emma.

"After your call earlier, I took the liberty of going around to her house, I could definitely feel the remnants of a powerful magical event there. However, the magic was not her own, so I suspect you may be correct."

Emma had been surprised when Gold had agreed to attend the meeting earlier that day, now, she was even more surprised that he had actually investigated and agreed with her own conclusions. Usually, if she wanted information, she would have to go to him, but today he seemed very willing to cooperate. She watched as Belle reached out and ran her hand down his arm in support. It would seem that he was trying, once again to be better for his ever patient and forgiving wife.

"Could you tell who was responsible?" Emma asked eagerly, hoping to finally gain a clue towards what the hell was going on.

"Undoubtedly." He answered with an odd sort of sincerity.

"Who?" The blonde pushed.

"I suggest that you talk to mother superior." He finally answered after a long pause.

"Blue!?" Emma immediately exclaimed. "Why would she take Regina?"

"There could be any number of reasons, Fairy magic is a law unto itself. You really will need to ask her yourself."

* * *

Emma and Regina deposited Emma's bag in her room and then headed downstairs to the kitchen area. Emma sat herself on a high stool and watched the brunette busy herself making them both a drink. She was feeling a little uneasy. She had taken an instant likening to the dark-haired woman now filling a kettle before her and that was bad news, liking people was a sure-fire way of getting yourself hurt. She had learned a long time ago not to care about anyone. It was just easier that way.

"What can I get for you?" Regina asked. "Hot chocolate with cinnamon?" She suggested with a smirk.

"I've never tried it." The teen said nonchalantly.

"I think you will like it" Regina answered with a reassuring smile.

"Ok then, sure." Came the disinterested answer.

Regina rooted through the cupboards to find all the things that she needed to make Emma's hot chocolate just the way she liked it.

"So, what are we actually going to be doing?" Asked the teen, Regina looked over at her and noted she had adopted a confident and defiant posture.

"Well, this is a bit of an odd situation. There should be five of us. But just before you arrived, I had a phone call and it turns out the other three girls all lived in the same group home. They ran away last night so it seems they won't be joining us. That just leaves you and me." It was the truth, with such little notice it wasn't possible to fill the other three spaces. It looked like this summer Emma Swan was getting 1:1 attention.

"Oh," nodded Emma with a little smile, realising she got her all to herself. She quickly remembered that she wasn't supposed to care.

"At this point, we would all be sat talking about what we like and dislike and discussing what activities we should do as well as planning our meals and a cooking rota."

"Ok, well let's do that. What activities do you like doing?"

"I like them all." Regina smiled as she answered.

"That's a shit answer. What do you really like doing?" Emma challenged. Regina smirked and shook her head, she knew it was a defence mechanism. The youngster was nervous and unsure and covering it with overconfidence.

The hot chocolate was ready so the brunette handed it over with a smile. Emma inhaled the scent of the sugary drink, it smelled divine and she sighed despite her sense of unease.

"It's not really about me Emma." Answered the older woman gently, desperately wanting to reassure her.

"Well, there are only two of us and we have a month to fill. Come on, what do you like doing?" Emma was deflecting the attention away from her. She wasn't ready to talk about herself yet. That was ok.

Regina allowed her this and she smiled as she answered "I love running. The Lake has an amazing route around it and the climbing wall has some cool routes too."

"Great, we'll just do those then."

"Only if you would like to. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know, I've never done anything like this before." She answered in a harsh tone with a tinge of annoyance. Regina felt foolish, she should have realised that was part of the problem.

"It's settled then. We'll do everything," smiled the brunette hoping that would put the blonde at ease. "That way you can decide what you like and we can go from there. Now down to the important things, what do you like to eat?"

Emma laughed, she couldn't help herself. She could tell the older woman was really trying to put her at ease but she couldn't afford to let her in. She needed to do something quickly to push her away, she was already wearing down her defences.

So, Emma did what she had learned to do from a young age. She did what she always did if she thought that she just might learn to like someone. She shut down and pulled away.

Regina noticed the second it happened. The youngster had been laughing and smiling before, all of a sudden, it was as if a switch had flipped. Her face hardened and her mouth settled in a thin line as she levelled the brunette in a cold stare.

"I have no idea. I just eat what I am given. Which is never very much." The last part she said under her breath, but Regina heard it anyway, realising to her horror that was why the teen was so painfully thin.

"Well, with me, you will always get a choice and you can have as much as you like." Regina replied quickly and matter-of-factly, hoping to make it clear that she wouldn't be going without in her care. Emma just looked back at her silently, resolving to believe that when she saw it and it was that unbelieving look that caused the older woman to be overcome with a sudden rush of rage at the way her best friend had been treated in her youth. It shouldn't have been that way, she should have been loved and cared for and nurtured in the thousand different ways she knew that a child needed. But she hadn't been and Regina knew that that was partially her fault.

Still, what good would it do to dwell on that thought now? She was here for a reason and maybe, just maybe, that reason was to help show Emma that there was more to the world that the awful hand she had been dealt. She knew that was going to be hard work, but she vowed, right then and there, to be steadfast in her conviction to see that through.

"I make a mean lasagne," Regina said with a smile. "How about we start with that tonight?" She asked, hoping that the younger version of the blonde would enjoy it as much as her older counterpart.

"Sure, that sounds nice," Emma replied softly as she turned her head away from the confusing woman sat looking at her from across the table. The two of them sat in silence for a while, sipping on their drinks and looking out of the window as they both slipped into their own thoughts. At some point, Emma's gaze turned to her companion as she began to study her intently. There was something about this woman, something different that she didn't quite understand. A few minutes later, and with a small amount of shock, Emma realised what it was. She was different from everyone else because she didn't find her at all threatening and that was difficult to comprehend because these days, she felt like everyone was a threat. That is what she had learned from her shitty life so far. She was always on high alert, always expecting lies and hurt but here, right this minute she realised that she felt safe enough to relax a little.

"I'm sorry." Emma eventually said, breaking the silence.

"What for?" Regina asked in confusion, she knew that Emma was a product of her upbringing and hadn't taken anything she had said personally.

"For being a total shit. I'm not doing this very well am I?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm being rude and evasive or whatever. That's how my therapist would describe it anyway, you seem really nice and I don't want to be like that to you. Sometimes I just can't help it."

"It's ok Emma, we only just met. It's only natural you would be cautious of me. I'm not offended. But I want you to know that you don't need to be. I hope to prove to you that I only have your best interests at heart." Regina said softly and the teen simply smiled back in response finding herself bereft of words after hearing the other woman's seemingly sincere words. They looked at each other for a few seconds after that, each smiling and trying to convey how much they both wanted those words to be true.

Their moment was soon interrupted by a muffled bark coming from one of the upstairs rooms.

"What was that?" Emma asked as her forehead furrowed ever so slightly, it had sounded like a dog's bark, surely there weren't any dogs around here?

"Oh, I almost forgot," Regina exclaimed happily. "Do you like dogs?"

"Yeah, I guess," Emma answered tentatively, trying not to get too excited. She loved dogs.

"Brilliant, cos I know someone who would love to meet you... follow me."

Regina headed back up the stairs and led Emma towards her own room. "Emma Swan, meet Jasper." She said before opening the door to a blur of energy that explodes towards the pair. He greeted his owner first with a playful nudge to her hand and some happy tail swishing, then turned his attention to the new human stood with her. He was trained not to rush at unfamiliar people so sat patiently at Regina's heal waiting for the teen to approach him.

"It's ok, he won't hurt you. He is a fluffy cuddle monster aren't you buddy? You can pet him if you like."

Emma didn't need telling twice as she slowly knelt down to pet him, but it would seem he had other ideas. He saw her smile and knew she was happy and that was all the permission he needed to move forward and rest his head on her shoulder.

Emma instinctively put her arms around him and buried her face in his fur.

"See, what did I tell you?" Regina said as she watched on as Jasper melted a little part of Emma's heart right there in front of her.

 **AN: Thanks again for all the follows and favourites. I really am chuffed that you guys are liking the nonsense that comes out of my brain :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Emma had rushed straight to the convent after the meeting at the sheriff's station. The Nun's had been less than pleased when she had forced her way in, demanding to talk to their Mother Superior. They had informed her that Blue was tending to important business in the Enchanted Forest and hadn't said when she would be back, but Emma had insisted on searching her office anyway. The sisters were quite exasperated by the time she had conceded defeat in her near frantic search. She reluctantly left, leaving strict instructions that she was to be informed immediately upon her return.

The next morning, after a totally miserable night of not sleeping and trying not to wriggle too much as she didn't want to wake Hook, Emma rose at the break of dawn and started pulling on her running kit.

"Swan love, where are you going?" Killian asked in a sleepy voice as he stirred from his peaceful and undisturbed slumber.

She hadn't wanted to wake him, because truth be told she didn't really want to talk to him. He had never been the Mayors biggest fan, but lately, he had started becoming more vocal about his dislike for her. His little outburst in the Sheriff's office was still grating at her, he knew how difficult it was for her to connect with others so he should be happy she had found someone to confide in.

"I'm going for a run, go back to sleep." She answered in the kindest voice she could muster under the circumstances.

"Since when do you run?" He asked with a slightly confused and disinterested look on his face.

"I always used to, I don't really know why I stopped." She answered. Now she was thinking about it, she really didn't know why she had stopped. She had learned as a teenager that running was an excellent way to burn off excess energy and improve her mood. It made her feel grounded and gave her the time to work through whatever was on her mind. She felt so much better when she ran regularly, she couldn't for the life of her fathom when and why she had stopped.

"Look love, I know you are worried about the Mayor but wherever she is I am sure she is fine." Killian offered halfheartedly. His indifference flared the anger she had been feeling build within her about his attitude towards Regina's disappearance.

"But what if she isn't? We have no idea where she is and the only person that might is suspiciously missing in action!" She fired back. "Where the hell is she!? She would never leave me and Henry without telling us where she was going. She clearly had no choice in this."

"There is no need to shout love, this may have nothing to do with Blue. She's probably just got the hump about something and is having one of her royal strops. It's beyond me why you are so worried. She'll be back soon enough, she always is." He replied bitterly.

"I know you don't really like her but you could at least try and be a little supportive. She is the mother of my child, of course I am worried!" She growled back finishing tying her laces and heading for the door.

"You are the mother of your child!" He shouted back before taking a deep breath. "I can't deal with you when you are like this, you are being ridiculous. I'll talk to you when you've calmed down love." He didn't even try to cover his annoyance as he rolled back over in the bed.

"Well, that's just it, Hook. I'm not going to calm down until I find her, I need to know she is safe!" She shouted as she slammed the bedroom door.

"Fuck the bloody Queen!" He shouted after her.

"Fuck you!" Was the response.

Slam went the front door.

* * *

The kitchen in the cabin was fully stocked. Ria had driven out with the supplies earlier in the week, so when it came time to eat some lunch, she was confident that they could find something that Emma liked.

"What would you like for lunch?" Regina had asked.

"What are the options?" Enquired Emma, thinking back to the conversation they had had earlier about choices.

"Have a look around and see if there is anything you fancy."

"So I can just choose anything I like?" The teen asked with an air of disbelief. She was not used to being able to choose. She was usually just given something, whether she liked it or not. She opened the fridge and was surprised to see it full of all kinds of food. Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head.

"Within reason, it is lunchtime so it needs to be vaguely lunch related. What are you thinking?"

The teen hesitated. She knew what she really wanted but wasn't sure she would be allowed it.

"It's ok, you can ask." Prompted Regina.

"I'd actually really like a grilled cheese sandwich if that's ok?" the teen asked rather sheepishly.

Regina laughed. Of course, her young companion wanted a grilled cheese. Her older version was practically addicted to the things. Regina had often mused over exactly how it was that the sheriff could eat one for lunch three or four times a week and manage to maintain her very shapely arse.

One of the aims of the programme was to instil within the youngsters a greater understanding of food and its place within a healthy lifestyle. Grilled cheese sandwiches were hardly the healthiest thing in the world but Emma was looking at Regina with such hope in her eyes that she found herself unable to deny her. It was hard enough to deny the adult version, but she was discovering it was next to impossible when it came to the tough yet incredibly fragile teen.

"Go on then, as it's the first day. Ordinarily, I would go for something a little healthier, but a grilled cheese sounds great. Do you know how to make them?"

"Erm... they don't let us in the kitchen at the group home so..." she answered embarrassedly.

"That's ok, I understand" Regina replied empathetically "You are allowed in the kitchen anytime you like here. How about we make it together?"

"Ok...but what if I burn it?"

"Then we'll make another one, it's not a problem." She smiled in reassurance. She was sad to see that young Emma had so little faith in her own abilities. She made a silent vow right then and there to do everything she could to change that. "You grab the bread and cheese and I'll grab the skillet."

They settled into their impromptu lesson, the teen was a keen learner. She listened to all of Regina's guidance and encouragement and went on to produce a perfect grilled cheese sandwich. The look of pride upon her face at the completion of the task truly captivated the older woman.

After lunch, the three of them went for a walk around the camp so Emma could see the activity areas. She learned that Ria was trained to teach all of the camp's activities, so that meant that in the coming days, they could basically do as they pleased. They would, however, have to work around the rest of the campers, as Camp Lonestar was first and foremost a fully functional summer camp with a capacity of over one hundred kids. One hundred kids that were due to arrive the following day.

When they eventually made their way to the archery range. Regina couldn't help but smile when she saw the young blonde's eyes shine with excitement. Figures, mused the brunette. Emma was, after all, her mother's daughter. When Regina asked her if she would like to try the activity at some point, the young woman hastily tried to cover her excitement and mumbled out a gruff "I guess," before turning on her heal and making her way back up the access path. Her attempt at indifference fell a little flat though moments later when Regina said they could do it the following morning.

"Really?" She had enquired sceptically.

"Yes really," Regina confirmed before smiling back at the huge grin her answer had caused.

After that, they continued their walk until they got back to the lake shore, where Emma soon busied herself throwing Jasper's ball into the lake. Every time he brought it back and subsequently shook his fur next to her, she shrieked in delight before throwing it again. After a few minutes of standing close, Regina quietly peeled away and settled herself on a nearby up-turned canoe and watched with joy as the teen finally began to open herself up to a little fun.

As she sat there, the brunette found herself feeling a little at odds, with a headache coming on. Touring the camp had triggered a lot of Ria's memories, and as useful as they were for navigating this time, they did take some getting used to.

The project Ria ran was a sideline for the camp. She had apparently worked there as a summer instructor since she was eighteen, always returning from college as she trained for her career in social care. A few years after graduating she had devised this project herself and fought hard for the funding to run it. Regina could tell that she was very proud of what she had achieved. She wholeheartedly believed that everyone on this Earth deserved the chance to experience a positive connection with another human being. Such a basic concept, but she knew from her own experience growing up that not every child got that chance.

Ria's chance had come when she had met the owner of this camp. She had been ten years old when her mother had died, leaving her a ward of the state. At eighteen she had been unceremoniously thrown out of her home, leaving her with nowhere to go. She had been scared to be on the streets so she had taken to the forest on the outskirts of town. She had always enjoyed nature and felt much safer under the trees. While she had been walking one day, she had stumbled upon the summer camp, it was early April so the place had been deserted. She hadn't seen the harm in sleeping in one of the bunkhouses, as she wouldn't make any mess and she figured she would be long gone before the summer season.

What she hadn't figured on was the owner heading out there for his monthly inspections. He had found her having an excellent time exploring the bouldering problems on the climbing wall one unseasonably warm Saturday. She had nearly jumped out of her skin when she had heard a voice behind her.

"You are really very good at that, have you ever thought about teaching it?"

She nearly made a run for it but he asked her to stay and talk to him. His name was Roger, he was around fifty and had kind eyes. While they sat and shared his packed lunch, Ria had discovered that he had a daughter her age and he was looking for people to train to work at the camp. After many years of awful luck, she'd had a chance encounter with another human that had given her hope. Hope that things just might be ok after all.

That is what she wanted to pay forward.

Regina's headache was getting more pronounced now, it really was confusing having another person's memories. It wasn't just her memories though, it was more than that. It was her feelings as well, essentially her whole life. Regina silently thanked Ria for this opportunity to share in her experiences and help her best friend. Ria may well know what it's like to grow up alone in this world but Regina knew all about pain and abuse too. She also knew Emma, so together they may just be able to make a difference to the young blonde's life.

Regina looked on as Emma played with Jasper. She looked so young and carefree, the brunette smiled, thankful that for today at least, she had helped to put a smile on her face. The teen spotted her smiling at her and jogged up the beach to join her.

"He is so great, you are so lucky to have a dog." She said whilst she beamed the brightest smile.

"I know, he is literally my best friend. Aren't you buddy?" Regina said ruffling the fur under his ears. He let out a happy bark in response. "He can be your friend too, how would you like to help me look after him? That way you will know what to do if you decide to get a dog when you are older."

"Really? You would let me help look after him? Cos, I had a plant as a school project once and I've gotta say, it didn't live very long" Admitted the youngster.

"I would like to think that Jasper is a bit more interesting than a plant. Besides, if we don't feed him, he will remind us," she said laughing. "he needs a lot of exercise though, you think you can handle that?"

"Sure, does he go running with you?"

"He does, he loves it! Are you joining us in the morning?"

"Do you really want me to come?" Emma questioned. "I'll only slow you down."

"There is no chance of that with him, he will run in circles around us the whole time anyway" Regina replied, again attempting to reassure the teen that her company was wanted.

"Ok then, I would like that," Emma said with a smile. She wasn't even sure she could run but if the brunette wanted her there, that was enough for her to agree.

* * *

Emma returned to her house forty-five minutes later, after running hard and fast through the streets of Storybrooke. Probably too hard and too fast truth be told but it provided her with a welcome break from the emotional turmoil of the last twenty-four hours. A few days ago, she had been the happiest woman on earth, or at least she had convinced herself that she was. She was getting married. She was finally going to be a normal person with a normal life, or at least as normal as living in Storybrooke could get. Someone actually wanted to marry her. Ok, he wasn't perfect but her parents adored him, the wedding was going to make them so happy. She knew she wasn't the perfect daughter they had wanted, she may hold the title of 'Princess' but she fell short of that by a country mile and she knew it. Her parents loved her anyway, she knew that too, but she just couldn't help but want to live up to their expectations. She'd had none for twenty-eight years so now she did, she was determined to get it right. So what if she wasn't so sure that was what she wanted.

At one point during her run, she had found herself running past the mansion on Mifflin street. She hadn't gone there consciously but she wasn't surprised when she realised where her feet had taken her. Towards Regina, or at least to where she should be.

The brunette knew Emma was having doubts about the engagement even if she hadn't realised it herself. She always knew if something wasn't right because she knew her better than anyone else ever had. She had asked the question no one else thought to ask, "Are you happy?" She had thought she was. Now she wasn't so sure. She needed her best friend. She needed Regina and she was feeling frantic with worry about where she was. She could be hurt, she might need her and she had no way to get to her. It was driving her crazy.

She climbed her front steps and reluctantly pushed open her door. She really didn't feel like another run in with Hook right now. She planned to shower and leave the house as quickly as she could. With any luck, he had gone back to sleep.

Upon entering the bedroom to gather clean clothes she realised her luck was out. He had heard her return and as she entered the room, he rolled over in bed to address her.

"Are you feeling better after that?" He asked. His tone was soft but Emma didn't miss the mocking inflexion.

"I am actually, running helps me think."

"Good. Now you have cheered up, I can think of another physical activity that will make you feel even better." He said suggestively.

Emma couldn't believe that he was thinking about sex right now. It was the absolute last thing on her mind.

"I'm pretty tired actually, I went at it pretty hard"

"Speaking of hard..." he said rubbing himself over the covers.

"I really need a shower, Killian."

"Come on Swan, I'm all ready to go here."

Emma didn't reply, she was too busy finding the things she needed to get out of the room. She hadn't seen Hook rise from the bed and approach her from behind and she momentarily froze as she felt his arms encompass her waist.

"I'm sorry we fought earlier, please come back to bed." He said whilst rubbing his erect dick on her ass. "I need this," he husked into her ear. Not wanting another fight, she ducked out of his grasp and made a bolt for the bathroom. She was inside with the door locked before she heard his good hand hit the wooden frame.

"For fuck's sake Emma! What is wrong with you?" He shouted through at her.

She sat on the edge of the tub and wondered the exact same thing.

 **AN: I just want to say again, a huge thank you to all who have shown an interest in this. It's hardly a masterpiece, I know, but I am trying really hard for you guys. I have quietly enjoyed this fandom for the last year now, reading hundreds of stories in every free minute I have. I hugely respect anyone who has contributed to it and really wanted to give something back. This fic was born from my appreciation for the many hours of enjoyment I have had from reading other SwanQueen stories.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

On Emma's first evening at camp, the pair, supervised by Jasper of course, had had another little cookery lesson. Emma was finding that she liked spending time in the kitchen with the older woman, she was a fun and supportive coach and encouraged Emma to give everything a try. At the beginning of each stage of creation, the brunette would give her a quick demonstration of what to do and then allow the teen to take over, being sure to compliment her efforts. Then, with the lasagne prepared and placed in the oven, the focus turned to their evening activity.

Before leaving Ria's place Regina had snagged a handful of her DVD's. There was a rather eclectic mix to choose from and Emma, who hadn't had the chance to watch many films was a little overwhelmed with choice. Regina hoped to every god she could think of that she wouldn't choose the long-winded nonsense that was 'Titanic', so she was hugely grateful when the youngster settled on Jurassic Park, stating that dinosaurs were cool. This immediately reminded Regina of the time, not so long ago that Emma had insisted on driving their family unit of three, two towns over to watch the premiere of Jurassic World, again stating that "Dinosaurs are cool!"

When the food was ready, two portions were served with an accompanying side salad that the two of them had whipped up after choosing the film. Keen to catch the evening sun, they ate out on the balcony, where they watched the birds dart over the lake and slipped into easy conversation about anything and nothing.

After the film, it was time to say goodnight and what Regina didn't know was that Emma's anxiety about bedtime had steadily been on the rise throughout the evening. The teen always slept terribly during her first night somewhere unfamiliar. She felt nauseous and uneasy and knew that sleep would not come quickly. She hadn't mentioned it though, why would this woman, who she had just met care in the slightest? She wouldn't. Emma knew that she just needed to stay quiet and get through it on her own.

They parted ways at the top of the stairs, Jasper trailing off behind his master while Emma went the other way to her own room. Once inside, she cleaned her teeth, unpacked, cleaned her teeth again, rearranged her meagre belongings in the draws and remade the bed twice before she finally got in it. On the way upstairs, she'd had the forethought to snag an old book from the bookshelf and for a while, she tried reading it, but she soon found that she couldn't concentrate on the words. Her stomach felt like a washing machine and she felt far too sick to sleep, so instead, she curled up into the tightest ball she could manage and squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating on the sound of her own blood thundering through her veins.

After a few hours of this torturous state, she finally drifted off, only to be confronted by one of her scarier recurring dreams. It was a memory, in fact, the memory of the night one of her foster fathers had entered her room after more than a few too many beers and a row with his wife. She had been fourteen at the time and had been absolutely terrified.

Regina, on the other hand, was exhausted and had fallen asleep almost immediately. She had been that way for several hours when she was roused by Jasper incessantly nudging her head. He was usually a very considerate bedmate and stayed very still, so she was immediately aware that something wasn't quite right. Then she heard it, a very faint whimpering sound coming from somewhere outside her room. She quickly rose from the bed and pulled on her robe and when she turned to the door, she saw Jasper waiting keenly for her to open it and when she did he took off at a fast pace down the hall and straight to Emma's door.

Regina quickly followed after him and soon noticed that the noises were getting louder as she went, after she had registered that, it wasn't a huge leap to realise that they must be coming from Emma.

She reached out for the door handle but momentarily hesitated before pulling it open. She wasn't really allowed to enter her young charges room without permission and especially not in the middle of the night. As she stood there, Emma's incoherent calls became louder and Jasper nudged her hand as if to say 'what are you waiting for?'. There was no stopping her after that, rules be damned, she pulled the door open and made her way in.

Emma was curled up in a tight ball in the back corner of her bed, crying in her sleep.

Regina approached her cautiously, not wanting to scare her even more and gently sat on the bed and softly called her name while reaching out to touch her arm. With that contact, Emma jolted awake and nearly panicked at the presence of someone in her room. However, before that panic could take a proper hold, she felt a furry head upon her legs and looked around to see chocolate coloured eyes looking at her with concern and... fear?

She was safe, she wasn't in that room with the drunken man, she was safe with Jasper curled by her side and Ria looking on. Relief quickly spread through her, followed by the suddenly need for comfort and without thinking about it, she launched herself into the older woman's arms.

Regina stiffened at first, knowing that she shouldn't be hugging the youngster, it was totally inappropriate for someone in her position but for Christ's sake, Emma was desperately in need of some physical comfort and the brunette found that she couldn't deny her that, even if it was deemed as inappropriate. In that moment, she vowed to stay put until the blonde could regulate herself back to a calmer mental state and so, she relaxed and allowed the youngster to hold on to her for dear life.

* * *

What was wrong with her?

The longer Emma sat on the side of the tub and thought about that question, the more she realised that she honestly didn't know the answer. Only days ago she had been on top of the world. She had a handsome man who wanted to marry her, two very happy and very supportive parents, a son that never ceased to amaze her and a best friend and co-parent that would literally follow her into Hell without a second thought.

What was wrong with her? Why was everything so different now?

'Because she isn't here to make everything ok' her brain quickly answered. Just when had Regina become so important to her?

If she was being honest with herself she would have known that the answer was always.

Eventually, she shook off her line of thought and turned on the water, cranking the heat right up. She had run far too hard and fast and her legs were crying out for relief as she finally stepped into the shower. After Hook's earlier question, she hadn't heard any more from him and she was glad that he had apparently given up, however she knew that it was quite likely that he had gone back to bed to 'service' himself. The thought of him rubbing one out in her bed turned her stomach. Because it was her bed and now she wasn't so sure she wanted him in it after all.

She really needed to get out of the house, she felt like she was suffocating in those four walls. So when she finished in the shower, she quickly towel dried her hair and pulled on her clothes ready for her escape. As she picked up her phone to slip into her back pocket, she noticed that she had a text from Henry.

 _Any news? I really miss her. Can you come over?_

To be honest, she felt like she really needed to see him too, so she poofed herself straight to where she knew she would find him, her parent's apartment. He had chosen to stay there the night before as he didn't want to add to her already heightened stress levels. He was so thoughtful like that, especially when it came to both of his mothers. She was so proud of the young man he had become. A large amount of thanks for that had to go to Regina. She truly was the young man's mother in all but biology but she knew that to all concerned that meant nothing at all. If anything, Henry knew that Regina had made a conscious choice to raise him, even though she had no obligation to do so and for that, he loved her even more. Emma, of course, knew that he loved her equally as much, she adored the special bond Henry had with his other mother and she would never for one moment try to diminish or belittle that connection.

Regina thrived at being a mother and Emma truly believed it was a huge shame that she was unable to have any of her own. Suddenly, her heart fluttered at the thought of Regina with her own little brood. Emma thought that she wouldn't mind pumping out a few more kids if she could get to see that.

Wait, what the fuck!?

She shook herself from that shocking line of thought and knocked on the door. A few moments later Snow answered the door and was seemingly quite surprised to see her daughter standing there.

"Emma, Honey! I didn't think we would see you today. What with it being your day off, you usually spend it with Killian. Is everything ok?"

Emma had no idea how to answer that so she just nodded and ducked in through the door where she was instantly greeted by the sight of Henry sitting on the floor playing with his uncle Neal.

The kid was an absolute natural with his young uncle. It was not helping her to get her earlier train of thought out of mind, he would be an amazing older brother. She had, of course, thought about this before but in her previous musings, his new brother or sister would be part Jones. That idea had never quite sat right with her, she knew it was bound to happen eventually but she was by no means ready to procreate with the Pirate. Alarming she realised that she wouldn't hesitate to have another child for Regina. With Regina.

"Hey kid." She said plopping herself down onto the sofa. "I'm so sorry, I haven't got any news yet."

"It's ok Ma, I know you will tell me the moment you do. I just miss her so much, y'know?"

"Yeah kid," she paused to let out a sigh "I know."

"How are you doing?" he asked, really taking the time to look at her. It was almost as if he was looking straight into her soul.

"Me?" She answered shifting uncomfortably under his gaze "Fine, why do you ask?"

"Because I know you, and I know how much she means to you."

Could that be true? Could he possibly know just how much the brunette meant to her? Because right now she wasn't so sure herself.

* * *

It had taken teenage Emma a good hour to bring herself down after her nightmare. Regina had asked her if she wanted to talk about it but she had said no and so she hadn't pushed her any further.

As Emma began to calm, it slowly dawned on her that she was in a bed, being held tightly by Ria. Very quickly after that, the fear and the need for comfort she had felt began to give way to another feeling altogether, a feeling that she didn't understand, or at least wasn't ready to. She quickly became more and more uncomfortable and she started to notice a dull aching between her legs. Then, her nipples became painfully puckered. Until now, she had only ever noticed that happen when she was really cold. But here, in this bed, she was warm, actually, she was too warm.

"Erm... I think I'm fine now... thanks." She said almost distantly, rolling away towards the wall to get the distance that she suddenly needed.

"Ok." Replied Regina, confused by the sudden shift. She figured that the blonde had calmed down enough and was probably feeling ashamed and vulnerable. She could understand that and she knew that now was probably the time to leave. So she rose from the bed and went to turn towards the door before turning back to say "Please don't be embarrassed. I'm here for you, you can talk to me."

Emma didn't answer, she had no idea what to say. Instead, she just stroked Jasper's head.

"Can Jasper stay?" She finally asked in a small voice.

"Of course he can, I don't think I could move him now anyway," Regina answered, noting that the border collie showed no signs of moving. As a goodbye, she leant over to give him a quick pat and as she stood back up, she squeezed Emma's arm in what was meant to be a comforting gesture. Unfortunately, to Emma, it felt like an electric shock firing towards all the areas of her body that were currently causing her confusion and that caused her to flinch.

Regina quickly took back her hand after feeling the reaction she got and made a mental note not to touch her again. It seemed that when Emma was calm she didn't like it. That made sense to her, the older version wasn't particularly tactile so it stood to reason that the youngster wasn't either. Thinking no more of it, she turned to leave.

"I'm sorry," the blonde called after her. "Thank you for tonight... and for Jasper."

"No thanks necessary." The brunette said with a smile as she turned once again to go. As she left, she closed the door behind her, leaving Emma to her thoughts.

* * *

Jasper rose at 6.30 every morning with his master to go for their morning run. This morning, however, he wasn't with his master and by 6.45 he was keen to be up and out.

Despite the events of the previous night, Regina was up at her usual time. She dressed in her running kit and waited downstairs in the kitchen for the other two to join her. She knew they would soon because she knew that Jasper would wake Emma up because he would need to pee. Sure enough at 6.47 he came running down the stairs and headed straight for the back door. She laughed and quickly tickled under his ears before opening the door to let him out.

A few moments later, a very sleepy and grumpy looking Emma Swan slowly followed him down, dressed in ill-fitting shorts and t-shirt with a pair of old chucks on her feet.

"Are you sure you still to come running with us?" Regina asked, in a what Emma thought was a far to cheerful voice for this time in the morning. "You can stay here if you like, you must be pretty tired."

"I said I'll come, so here I am." Emma groused back.

In that moment Regina realised that Ria had an infinite amount of patience compared to her. Ordinarily, she knew she would have bristled at being spoken to like that but Ria's calming influence made the comment brush off her like water off a duck's back.

"Great, are you ready to go then?" She asked with a big smile.

"How are you so cheerful right now? It's too early and I feel like shit." Emma asked in true teenage style.

"You will feel better once we get moving, come on," Regina said, heading for the back door.

"I doubt that very much." She mumbled under her breath, following the older woman out of the cabin. When she got outside she was greeted by the sight of the brunette bending over with her ass in the air performing some sort of a stretch.

"Come on, do what I do, we need to stretch before we head out."

"A-ha." Was the distracted answer Regina received and when she looked around to see what had caught the teen's attention, she realised that she was staring at her arse.

Emma was not at all subtle about checking her out. In fact, she hadn't even really noticed she was doing it. It was only when Regina turned to face her that she was able to pull her eyes away.

Regina couldn't quite believe what had just happened. She had almost definitely just been checked out by Emma Swan. Albeit a version of her that was entirely off limits - not that she would ever allow anything to happen between the two of them here. She loved Emma, she had no doubt about that but this version of her needed reassurance and guidance. Not anything she longed to give to the older version. She realised that she needed to be more careful.

After a few minutes of stretching in silence, the three of them were off down the lakeside path. Jasper was in his element, he ran off ahead only to circle back before heading off again, barking happily the whole time.

Regina made sure the pace was slow so Emma could ease into the run. She had tried to make conversation with her as they jogged but the teen was not saying a word. Emma was far too lost in her own thoughts, fuelled by tiredness and confusion. Confusion brought on by the way the older woman was making her feel. She felt... out of sorts she guessed, she didn't quite know how to describe it. She had felt an almost instant connection to the other woman, a connection like no other she had ever experienced and that making her feel a little uneasy.

They carried on and Emma began to slowly realise that the running was making her feel better. She felt strong and free as she made her way down the lakeside path, every now and again glancing to her side so she could make sure she was still close to the other woman as she matched her step for step as the pace began to increase. Regina was impressed, she looked over at her companions face to look for any signs of discomfort but what she found instead, was the ghost of a smile on her lips. She was relieved to see that she might actually be enjoying it.

After fifteen minutes of running one way, the brunette motioned for them to turn around and head back. "If we head back now we will have run three miles by the time we get back, you are doing great for your first time out!"

"Cool!" Emma answered with a megawatt grin while turning in the opposite direction. "This feels great!" With that, she picked up the pace again and jetted off back down the way they had come. Regina immediately sprung after her.

Twelve minutes later they were back at the cabin laughing at the playful race they had had on the way back. Regina had let her win but Emma didn't need to know that. As they went off in their different directions to prepare themselves for their day, they were both full of bright smiles and anticipation.

* * *

After leaving the loft, Emma had no clue what to do with herself. She was still avoiding Hook so she didn't really want to return to her house. She contemplated swinging back to the convent but knew that she had caused enough fuss there the day before. She was scared that if she went back and upset them more, they may not be so quick to inform her of Blue's return.

With nowhere else to be, she set upon wandering aimlessly and after an hour or so, she looked up and noticed that she was near the Graveyard.

Of course! Why hadn't the thought of it sooner? Maybe there was something in Regina's vault that could shed some light on what was going on. She entered through the wrought iron gates and headed towards the back corner of the graveyard that was home to the Mills family vault.

It was of course protected by magic but Regina had changed the wards years ago to allow the blonde access. She entered and swiftly pushed aside Henry Snr's sarcophagus to gain access to the stairs leading down to the former Queens inner sanctum.

Once inside she set about looking around for any clues. Who was she kidding? She had no idea what any of this stuff did. Right now she was doing the magical equivalent of opening a car bonnet and staring at the engine in the hopes that the fault will suddenly present itself.

She was so cross that she kicked the wall in frustration. She had expected it to hurt, but for some reason, it didn't. On closer inspection, she noticed that the wall had shifted ever so slightly. Intrigued, she pushed with all of her might and was surprised when she realised she was opening a door to a secret room.

She stepped inside and was surprised to see the room beyond, it was decorated much like the brunettes office in the town hall but instead of a desk and sofas, it held a large bed and several wardrobes. This must be Regina's stronghold she thought, she knew Regina has fled to one during the Archie incident a few years ago when Cora had set her up for his murder. She took a moment to look around. It wasn't messy but it wasn't neat either. There were a few items of clothing lying around and the bed wasn't made. This made Emma smile. To all outward appearances Regina's home and positions were always neat and tidy but in here, a space not for anyone else's eyes, she allowed herself to relax.

Emma suddenly felt guilty for intruding into her friend's personal space. But she felt so tired and the bed looked comfortable. She didn't even hesitate, she kicked off her boots and took off her jeans before climbing into the unbelievably soft and warm bed. She was instantly enveloped by the rich and very unique smell of the older woman she missed so much.

Soon, she drifted off to sleep and dreamt of running free around a beautiful lake with a happy and playful black and white dog at her heal.

 **AN: Thanks again for all the follows and favourites. Thanks also to the lovely few who have commented and encouraged. You are keeping me on track with this :)**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After a long and hot shower, young Emma felt suitably invigorated to continue on with her day. She quickly towel dried her hair and left it hanging loosely down her back to dry. She pulled on the same jeans she had worn the day before, they were fine to wear again and besides, she only had two pairs. She picked out the cleanest of the few plaid shirts she owned and buttoned it up over her white tank top. It was getting a bit small for her now but it was her favourite.

She pulled her old chucks back on, noticing that her feet were a little sore. Not that that mattered, she'd had a great time out running, a few sore patches were nothing.

As she exited her room onto the mezzanine, she looked over the bannister and saw Ria, who must have showered quicker than her, stood in the kitchen making coffee. The radio was playing and Emma watched on in amusement as the older woman danced around as Jasper looked on happily. It was nice, to catch someone in a moment of happiness. She had seen so few in her life so far. Suddenly, she was pulled from her thoughts when she heard a knock on the back door of the cabin. Ria quickly stopped dancing went to pull the door open.

"Hey," said an unfamiliar female voice, followed by "Hey Jasper!". Emma looked down to see a tall, slim woman, down on her knees making a fuss over her new canine buddy. Ria was looking on, smiling.

Emma just watched, saddened by the fact that this woman, whoever she was, had ruined Ria's moment.

Eventually, the visitor stood back up and moved forward to plant a very over familiar looking kiss on the brunette's cheek. For some reason, this made Emma bristle with annoyance.

"Hey Ree, how's it going with Emma?" The stranger asked.

"Hey Hannah" Ria answered with a big smile on her face. "Yeah, great thanks. She is cheeky, but I like her." Emma smiled widely upon hearing that little admission.

"That's great news, I'm glad." The woman now identified as Hannah said back.

"What brings you down here?" The mentor enquired.

"I have a favour to ask."

"Go on..." Ria answered with a smirk.

"What were you two planning on doing this morning?" Hannah asked airily.

"We had talked about doing down to the Archery range. Why?"

"Well... the new driver got really drunk in staff quarters last night. I can't let him drive in the state he is in. I really need you to drive out and collect some of the kids if that's ok?"

Here it is, thought Emma. She had been really looking forward to having a go at archery. Of course the world would have other plans. She sighed disappointedly. Typical.

Then she heard Ria's answer.

"I don't know Han, I'd have to ask Emma. I don't want to let her down."

"OK, talk to her. Let me know what she thinks?" Hannah replied, happily accepting the other woman's answer.

"I will." Regina nodded as she guided Hannah back to the door.

Emma couldn't believe what she had just heard. Ria didn't want to let her down. She had said she would have to consult her in the decision-making process. No adult had ever consulted her before. Ever. She felt a little light headed at the rush of emotions that triggered. Yet again, Ria had made her feel respected and valued.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she heard footsteps on the stairs below her.

As Regina climbed the stairs she mused over the interaction that had just played out. It was a very odd experience, standing in front of her host's best friend, conversing with her like they have known each other for years. But then, Ria has know Hannah for years. She is the daughter that Roger, the camp owner had told her about all those years ago. Again, Regina said a silent thanks that she had Ria's memories to help her navigate through this time period.

When she reached the top of the stairs she noticed the teen standing on the mezzanine, deep in thought.

"Are you ok?" She asked, becoming suddenly concerned about the very serious look on Emma's face.

"Who was that?" Emma asked in an almost accusing manner.

"That was Hannah, she is the camp director. I take it that you heard our conversation?" Regina assumed she had and suspected that it had brought on her sudden, sour mood.

"I did." The teen answered curtly.

"Well, then you'll know that I didn't agree to anything. I wanted to talk to you first." The older woman said gently, not wanting to add to the young woman's annoyance any further.

"I know, thank you." The blonde answered in a much softer voice. The older woman's soft tone had done wonders to soothe her and she was right, she hadn't agreed to anything and therefore didn't deserve her shitty tone.

"Would you mind if we rearranged the Archery for another time? I'd like to help her out. Plus, it's always a good idea to have the director on your side." Regina said as an afterthought. "That way, if we break anything, we are more likely to get away with it." She finished with a conspiratorial smile and eyebrow raise. Emma thought about what the brunette had said. She was right, it made sense to help Hannah out.

"Ok, we can rearrange," she said before deciding to add a stipulation, after all, she wanted to live up to her new reputation of being cheeky. "As long as I can drive..." There was a pause as the brunette seemed to be weighing something up in her mind.

"Ok." Regina finally replied.

"Really?" The youngster laughed disbelievingly.

"I'm serious, we can leave early and if we go out the back way, we will have a good few miles of private road to practice on. I'll obviously have to take over when we get to the main road though."

"I was joking! I can't drive!" Laughed the blonde.

"I'll teach you," Regina said like it was nothing.

But it wasn't nothing. Not to Emma anyway. For her it was huge. For the last year, she had been desperate to learn, but of course, there was no one to teach here. Now, it seemed that there was.

"Really?" She asked in disbelief.

"Really." The brunette answered with a smile.

And so it was that an hour later Regina and Emma were sitting in the van armed with a list of addresses, getting ready for Emma's first driving lesson.

"So what do these do again?" Emma asked, stomping on the clutch pedal.

"Well, that one you are stamping on is the clutch pedal, you operate that with your left foot. Then the one in the middle is the brake, the accelerator is on the right. You use your right foot to operate them both."

"How can I press both with one foot?"

"Well, you are never going to need to accelerate and brake at the same time so you just move your foot to whichever one you need."

"OK." She said nodding her head whilst contemplating the task ahead. "Why can't this van be automatic?" She moaned as she wiggled the gear stick from side to side.

"Because that would be too easy. Besides, I'm sure you will find stick shift useful at some point." Regina answered, thinking of the hideous yellow bug she had grow to quite like over the years.

"Fine, explain it to me one more time..."

As Regina began to explain the basic working of the van again, she noticed that the teens facial expressions had changed. She wasn't joking around anymore. She was taking in every little bit of information like it was a gift being handed to her.

They started by practising how to get the van moving. After a couple of attempts, Emma had mastered balancing the clutch like a pro. Regina watched on as the youngster drove on down the forest tracks, stopping periodically just so she could practice setting off again. The blonde had the biggest smile on her face as she yet again pulled away flawlessly.

"Thank you so much for this." She said excitedly looking towards her brunette companion before quickly turning her attention back to the track.

"You are welcome dear, but you really don't need to thank me," Regina replied. Emma brought the van to a stop and turned to face her passenger.

"Yeah, I really do need to thank you," she said looking Regina straight in the eye. "I know it's your job or whatever but you are being so awesome to me, you didn't need to do this." She continued to hold her gaze on the other woman. She couldn't think of anything else to say, she wasn't used to saying thank you as she never received anything that required it. In the system, she was given the bare minimum she needed to survive. Here though, she was being offered so much more. A room of her own, as much food as she wanted, choice, driving lessons, and comforting arms to cry into. Being here was so much better than anywhere else she had ever been. She wished that she could express that but she just couldn't, she didn't know how.

"Thank you Emma, it is my job but you are making it very easy to do. It's a pleasure to work with you." As Regina talked she reached out her hand to touch the teen's arm but quickly started to withdraw it when she remembered what had happened the last time. Emma noticed the hesitation and reached out to take hold of the retreating hand. They sat in silence for a few moments, smiling and holding hands.

Time felt as though it was standing still, those few moments felt almost like a blissful lifetime for Emma. The older woman made her feel happy, safe and cared for. It felt amazing for someone who had been starved of all of those things in her short lifetime. She thanked the gods that Ria had come into her life. She was funny and caring and beautiful. Emma had never felt this way about anyone before, she didn't really know herself how she felt about the brunette. All she knew was that she liked her more than she ever had anyone else.

As she sat there holding her hand, her body began to tingle and she felt her heartbeat increase. Again, just like the night before, her body was confusing her and a wave of embarrassment hit her like a tornado. She flushed and took back her hand. Once again looking at the road ahead.

"We should get going." She said, once again starting the van's motion flawlessly.

"I guess you are right" Regina answered, totally oblivious to the teen's inner turmoil.

* * *

Several hours after falling asleep in the secret room she had discovered in Regina's vault, Emma Swan emerged from a happy and restful slumber. She allowed her consciousness to return slowly as she found that she was in absolutely no rush to force herself out that wonderful stage before full alertness. She felt peaceful and warm and very uncharacteristically snuggly.

She'd had a wonderful dream about a cabin by a lake and a beautiful companion that felt very familiar somehow. The woman she dreamed of made her feel valued and loved and quite surprisingly to Emma, really rather sexually aroused. She couldn't remember much more about her dream, but she certainly knew the effect it'd had on her.

She hadn't felt this turned on in years. Even when Killian tried his hardest to please her in bed - which wasn't very often - she got nowhere near the way she was feeling right now.

She breathed in the wonderful scent all around her and pulled the blankets tighter around herself. In this state, she could almost imagine someone lying beside her. Almost.

A someone that was soft and smooth and very loving. She imagined the blankets where arms, holding her tight and safe. The body behind her felt warm and comforting.

She allowed her hand to draw loose patterns across her stomach and soaked in the euphoria of imagining her bedmates hand doing the same, while lazily kissing the back of her neck. By the Gods, it felt good.

So good in fact, that her whole body began to cover with goosebumps. She felt so relaxed but hyper-alert all at the same time. She imagined hot breath against her ear as affirmations of love were softly whispered into it. Her hand slowly rose to gently cup the underside of her right breast while a thumb softly swept over a hard and attentive nipple. She let out a sigh as she progressed to softly rolling her nipple between her deft digits, snuggling backwards ever so slightly and pulling the blankets even tighter across her back. She felt entirely engulfed by her fantasy, squeezing her thighs together to relieve some of the building pressure.

She was in heaven with the thoughts of her mystery lover, she felt revered and cherished and so very wanted. She rolled onto her back and allowed her left hand to find the neglected nipple, moving her right back down to her stomach to resume the lazy caresses she enjoyed so much.

She imagined her partner nuzzling her neck while placing soft kisses on her heated flesh. Every now and then she would feel a nip as teeth came out to play. Emma could have sworn she could feel short hair tickling at her cheek as her earlobe felt a quick nip. She gasped in a breath, again noticing the very distinctive smell of a certain person surrounding her. A wave of arousal flooded her body, rolling across her now painfully hard nipples and crashing to a peak between her legs. The voice of her imaginary lover rang through her mind, again whispering beautiful words of adoration and exaltation.

She wasn't shocked to realise that she knew who's voice it was. It belonged to the same person as the intoxicating fragrance that was currently engulfing all of her senses.

"Regina," she whispered out into the room while allowing her hand to dip beneath the waistband of her boy shorts.

Oh how Emma wished she really was there beside her as she drifted off into her imagination as her fingers found the part of herself that desperately need some attention. She smiled as those fingers moved faster and faster until finally, she cried out the brunettes name again as she fell over the edge of the most fulfilling orgasm she'd had in years.

As she lay in the afterglow of her endeavour she felt truly at peace with the world. Any guilt or confusion could wait for another time. For now, she decided to enjoy feeling happy. She continued languishing in her happy head-space for what felt like hours until she was rudely interrupted by the outside world.

 _BEEP BEEP_

As she was suddenly snapped out of her reverie, the reality of what she had done began to sink in. On top of the massive head fuck of just getting herself off whilst thinking of her best friend, she also felt incredibly guilty that she had allowed herself to temporarily forget that the brunette was missing. She felt so confused as she started to wrestle with her newly discovered feelings and on top of that, she just couldn't get that dream out of her head. She was becoming increasingly flustered as she untangled herself from the lush blankets and reached for her jeans to snag her phone from her back pocket.

When Regina had modified the wards around the vault to allow Emma access, she had also amplified the mobile signal so that phones would work underground. Ever the doting mother, she needed to feel like Henry could reach her at all times. Emma couldn't decide if she was pissed about having service right now or not. After opening the message her decision was very swiftly made, she was definitely pissed off.

 ** _Message from Hook: Where are you swan? Stop sulking and come home._**

She forced out an annoyed and slightly guilty sigh. What the hell was she doing to do?

* * *

The driving lesson had finished with Ria taking over behind the wheel as the two pulled out of camp property into the real world. There were six names and addresses on their pick up list.

"So how come some of the kids get picked up?" Emma had asked out of curiosity.

"It's just part of the package for the local kids, we only pick up from town. Everyone else has to make their own way to camp" Regina answered. Ria had done the pickup run a few times so this was nothing new to her.

"Cool." Replied the blonde, her answer seemingly suitably answered. "First on the list, take a right here and we are looking for number 37." Regina had tasked Emma with the navigation for their little trip and so far, she was doing a great job.

As they pulled up to a stop in front of number 37 they saw the front door open and a very scared looking boy emerge with his family. He must have only been about twelve. They watched on as his mom kissed him goodbye while his dad carried his bag over to the van. Emma felt a small pang of longing while observing the scene. She wondered what it would be like to be loved like that.

The van door opened and in stepped the very nervous boy.

"Hi." The brunette immediately said. "My name is Ria, I work at the camp. This is Emma. Are you excited about your summer?"

"Hi, I'm John," he answered in a hesitant voice. "I'm a little nervous, to be honest, I've never stayed away from home before."

Emma marvelled at the information. Wow, she thought, lucky you!

"Don't be nervous." Emma was surprised to hear herself say."You are gonna love it at camp, it is so cool!"

Regina smiled at Emma's enthusiastic response. She was pleased that Emma like camp so much, but also happy that she was trying to help put the young boy at ease. She really was a good kid.

The next four pickups went without a hitch, as with John, Emma had greeted all of the other kids with happy enthusiasm. That left just one more pick up. A few minutes later they pulled up outside the final address. As the front door opened Emma's face went pale as she recognised the very annoyed looking boy her age stomp over to the van. It was none other than Billy Morgan, still sporting the black eye that Emma had given him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Emma had remained in Regina's bed in the vault for another hour or so, trying to pick her way through the myriad of her incredibly confusing thoughts and feelings. She wasn't making much progress. A part of her was horrified that she allowed herself to masturbate whilst thinking of her missing friend, in her bed no less! Another part of her refused to accept the self-created shame. It had felt amazing and entirely natural. So what if she had gotten carried away in her sleepy haze. It was exactly what she had needed after her very intense but infuriatingly vague dream.

The details of the dream were rapidly disappearing like grains of sand slipping through her fingers. It was feelings more than anything that stuck in her mind. She had felt overwhelmingly safe and happy in the strong, comforting arms of the most beautiful person she had ever met. She could quite honestly say that she had never felt so content.

She had also felt incredibly turned on.

Sex for Emma Swan had rarely been about anything more than fulfilling a physical need, whether that be hers or someone else's. It was a function of human life and it served a purpose. Don't get me wrong, she enjoyed the physicality of a good fuck as much as the next person, but this had felt different somehow. Nothing sexual had happened in the dream and yet her body had hummed with arousal. She was surprised to realise that those feelings were born from an emotional connection rather than a physical one. That was a concept that was almost entirely alien to her as she had rarely, if ever, felt it before.

It was the love she had felt radiating from the other woman that had caused her body to react the way it had. It was more than that though, it wasn't just her body, it was her whole being. Her body, mind and soul desired the other woman in ways she had never experienced before.

The other woman that she would recognise anywhere. She was so confused, the dream was so real that she almost felt like she had lived it. But how could that be?

She felt like she was going crazy, she needed to get out of this headspace. Quiet contemplation was not helping so finally she rose and pulled her clothes back on. She needed to be busy right now so she left the vault and headed straight for work. She was halfway through an overhaul of the stations filing system and thought that some mindless data entry may help to clear her mind.

She had thrown herself into her task with uncharacteristic gusto. Hours had gone by before she heard someone clear their throat. She looked up to see her Mother standing awkwardly by the entrance to her office.

"So this is where you are hiding." Snow said in a strained and slightly suspicious voice.

"I'm hardly hiding Mom. I'm working." Emma replied, returning her attention to the task at hand.

"Killian called. He is worried about you." Snow said, noticing a very slight frown appear on her daughters face.

"Well, I'm busy. I just haven't had time to answer him." Emma lied. If she had any inclination to talk to the Captain she certainly would have found the time.

"Nonsense. What's going on?" Snow questioned.

"Nothing is going on Mom, I'm just busy."

"It's your day off Emma, I've never seen you work a minute longer than you have to."

Emma let out a deep sigh, she could really use someone to talk to right now but suspected that her mother's unbounded hope for a happy ending wasn't what she needed. Not when Snow's vision of her happy ending involved her marrying a man she wasn't even sure she liked right now. Snow was so consumed by wedding plans that she had barely noticed anything else going on around her. How could Emma tell her that recent events had left her little room to even contemplate walking down the aisle any time soon?

Again her thoughts turned to the only person she really wanted to see right now, Regina.

"How are you not concerned about her?" Emma finally caved and asked.

"Who... Regina? Why are you so worried? She can take care of herself Emma, she has for a very long time. We have a wedding to plan!"

"Stop Mom." Emma sighed. "She shouldn't have to look after herself, she has us now, it's our job. How can you not see that?"

Snow didn't have an answer. Emma was right, why was she being so blasé about this? She was shocked and surprised at her own uncharacteristic apathy at the disappearance of the woman that had been such a huge part of her life for so long. She had gotten so carried away with the idea of giving Emma a fairytale wedding that she had failed to realise that without Regina, it just wasn't possible.

The feisty brunette was her daughters best friend and for years now Emma had been Regina's stalwart defender and champion. Emma was able to get through to the sometimes infuriating former Queen like no one else and the same can be said in reverse. When Emma was at her darkest, Regina was able to reach her in a way that Snow could only dream of. As much as she longed to be able to soothe her own daughter she knew that she never would be able to, not like Regina could. The two women where polar opposites in many ways but equally they were so alike that it sometimes scared her. The friendship they had both fought for had changed each woman for the better, it was an undeniable fact.

"I'm sorry..." Snow started to say before being interrupted by the shrill ring of the station phone.

"Hold that thought." Emma said before picking up the receiver. "Storybrooke Sheriff department."

"Hello, is this Sheriff Swan?" Asked a timid voice.

"Yes, how can I help you?"

"It's...it's Sister Astrid. Erm... you wanted to know when the Mother Superior returned. Well... she got back about an hour ago."

"Thank you, Sister Astrid, could you please tell her to expect a visit from me very soon."

"Of course Sheriff, I'll tell her you are on the way over."

Emma ended the call and turned back to face her slightly sheepish Mother.

"Blue is back, I'm going to head over there now." Emma said as Snow nodded her head in acceptance. She felt guilty about leaving her mother halfway through what she felt like was an important conversation. Before thinking too much about it she asked "Come with me? She is your fairy godmother, she may be more willing to talk to you."

A bright smile crossed Snow White's face at her daughter's request.

"Of course I will honey. You are right, we need to find Regina. I'm just worried you are getting your hopes up. Blue might not know anything." Snow tried to reason. "Besides, she is your Fairy Godmother too." She added.

Emma rolled her eyes as she reached out her hand and placed it on Snow's shoulder, causing them both to disappear in a puff of white smoke. They reappeared on the driveway in front of the convent, Snow took a few steps away from her daughter as she tried to regain her composure. She never really had liked magical transportation.

"I little warning next time please. You know that makes me feel nauseous."

"Sorry Mom." Emma said apologetically whilst fixing her gaze on the front door.

She made her way up the steps and swiftly knocked on the door with an increasingly vexed Snow White on tow. After what felt like an eternity to Emma, the door began to open and the face that belonged to the unsure voice on the phone greeted them.

"Snow." She bowed in greeting to the former Queen. "Princess Emma." She said shifting her gaze to the antzy blonde.

"Just Emma is fine." She answered in a pained voice. She wasn't in the mood for her unwanted hereditary title right now. "Can we see Mother Superior please."

"Of course, follow me." As they walked through the convent in the direction of the Blue Fairy's office Emma could feel her anxiety level begin to rise. What if Blue really didn't know what had happened to Regina? What would she do then, this was really her only lead. She took a deep breath as they approached the heavy wooden door that would hopefully lead to some answers.

Astrid knocked twice and pushed the door open a little allowing her to push her head through the gap.

"Holy Mother, I have Queen Snow and Princ... erm... Emma to see you."

"Send them in." The door was swung open to reveal a rather chipper looking Blue Fairy sitting behind her desk, sporting her Storybrooke habit. "Hello ladies, just the people I wanted to see."

Emma stalked into her office and straight up to her desk, wasting no time before getting down to business.

"Regina is missing." Emma stated, not registering what the Fairy had said. She felt like she had waited long enough to speak to her and wasn't interested in pleasantries.

"That is interesting." Said the Blue Fairy, looking at Emma with genuine curiosity.

"Interesting? Interesting how?" Asked the blonde puzzled by the answer.

"We will get to that, I promise. First though, there is something I need to talk to you about." Blue said, gesturing towards two chairs and encouraging her visitors to make themselves comfortable. Emma reluctantly accepted the offer. She had the feeling this was going to take some time.

"The other night, I felt my magic at work. I'm sure you can understand my surprise as it wasn't me using it. That is why I have been in the Enchanted Forest. I was visiting the central wish repository." Blue explained.

"The what?" Emma asked in confusion. Even though she was a very powerful magic user herself, she realised that she actually knew very little about other magic.

"Fairy lore has strict rules on magic use and wish bestowment, detailed records of each Fairy's magical endeavours are created and kept in a place called the Central Wish Repository. I went to read the record of my magic usage to find out what happened the other night."

"What did it say?" Asked Snow, clearly having no trouble keeping up with the conversation.

"It was a gifted wish that I pre-granted over 34 years ago."

"I'm sorry, I'm not following. What was the wish? What does it have to do with Regina's disappearance?"

"We are getting there Emma, I promise." Placated Blue before continuing her tale. "Pre-granted wishes are only handed out on the rarest of occasions. I should have realised who's wish it was."

"Who's was it?"

"Yours."

* * *

Up until now on their impromptu bus adventure, Emma had been laughing and joking with the other kids but after their last pick up her mood had changed entirely. Regina noticed the shift almost immediately as Emma took to sitting silently, looking out of the windshield. After a few minutes of observing the best she could whilst driving, the brunette noticed Emma's knee bouncing up and down as she bit her nails. She was clearly anxious about something. At the next stop sign, Regina took the opportunity to reach her hand over to still the jumping knee.

"You ok?" She asked, trying to catch the blondes eye.

"Mmmm..." Emma replied, turning her attention to the other woman as she looked back at her with a look of concern on her face. "I'm fine" She snapped out of habit more than anything else. She immediately felt guilty as she saw the brief look if hurt in the brunette's eyes.

"I don't think that is true Emma, but I understand if you don't want to talk to me about it."

It wasn't that she didn't want to. She just didn't know how to begin. She wasn't used to talking about the way she felt to anyone. Never mind someone who was genuinely interested.

"I'm sorry" Offered the teen.

"You don't need to be." Came the reply as the older woman squeezed her knee whilst turning her attention back to the road.

Both Emma and Regina were so wrapped up in their own thoughts that neither of them realised they were being carefully observed the whole time.

The journey back to camp took no time at all. As the bus pulled to a stop the door was opened and the passengers were met by their camp counsellors before being led away to their cabins.

Emma hadn't moved or said a thing the whole time. Just as Regina turned her attention to the teen she was startled by a knock on her window. She looked around to see Hannah standing by the side of the van, she rolled down her window to address her.

"Thanks for doing that you two." She said with a large smile "Hi Emma, I'm Hannah. Thanks again for rearranging your plans. I really appreciate you letting me borrow Ree Ree here." She said, reaching her arm in and around Ria's shoulders. Regina rolled her eyes playfully at the gesture. She wasn't used to such easy physical displays of affection but she knew it was entirely natural for Ria.

Emma expected to feel annoyed at the gesture but instead found it to be quite amusing.

"That's cool," She replied airily, temporarily forgetting how Billy Morgan's appearance in her life had totally fucking ruined her day. "We had fun actually." She said smiling at the woman sitting next to her.

"Oh yes?" Hannah questions in a clearly playfully tone. "She let you drive didn't she?" She asked before breaking into a laugh.

Emma's eyes almost bulged out of her head at the question. She looked at Ria for some guidance on what to say and was surprised to see her smiling quite happily. "Erm... yeah she did." She answered shyly.

"I knew it!" Hannah exclaimed. "How'd she do?" She asked as she turned her attention back to Ria.

"Well, she is a better driver than you. Let's put it that way" Ria answered without skipping a beat. Earning another round of laughter.

"You are so rude. Remind me again why I employ you?"

"You don't employ me, the state does and they pay you rather well for my presence here." Was the cheeky response. "Now go away so I can park this van." Ria sassed whilst pulling away.

Emma found herself enjoying the easy banter between to two women. It was rare for her to witness positive and fun interactions between adults. She spent her life surrounded by working adults that more often than not hated their jobs. Be it her carers or her teachers, it wasn't often that anyone cracked a joke.

"Whatever, move along minions." Hannah called after them with a dismissive wave "And don't let me catch you two practising in my van!"

"As if you would ever catch us!" The two of them shouted in unison before descending into a near fit of laughter. A few minutes later the van was parked and the keys handed back into the office.

"So what now Ree Ree?" Emma asked cheekily before bolting out of arms reach, laughing all the way.

"Oh, I am gonna get you, Emma Swan!" Regina shouted, taking off in hot pursuit.

Emma ran towards the lake and out onto the jetty. When she reached the end she turned to face the brunette with her hands up in defeat.

"What are you gonna do now?" The teen sassed. "You can't push me in because I can't swim."

"Oh how much you don't know little one." She answered with a dangerous glint in her eye, all the while advancing on the increasingly worried-looking blonde.

"Little!" Emma answered "I'm taller than you!" she said backing up even further.

"Barely" Regina teased. Still advancing.

"Stop stop stop!" Cried the teen still sporting a huge grin. "Seriously, what are you going to do?"

"Well, Miss Swan. First I am going to throw you into this lake and then I am going to teach you to swim."

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" Emma laughed.

"Nah, it's only shoulder deep here."

Before the words had the chance to register in the blonde's brain she saw a dark blur as she felt other woman rugby tackle her into the water. The shock of the cool water hit her like a tonne of bricks. Her hearing became muffled as her head went under water and she felt herself on the cusp of panic before she remembered the words 'It's only shoulder deep' and felt strong arms pull her upright, bringing her head back out of the water as her feet planted on the lake bottom. She took few spluttering breaths and blinked as she gazed into chocolate brown eye's inches away from her own. She could have sworn she heard the words "Are you alright princess?" fall out of the Ria's mouth. When she nodded in the affirmative the older woman swam a short distance away and began to splash her.

"Now let's see about those swimming lessons hey?" She smiled.

 **AN: It's a little early but I'm sure no one will mind. It's been pissing down all day here so I took the opportunity to get some more of this tale down. This chapter turned into a monster so I have cut it here.**

 **Thank you thank you thank you for all the follows and favourites. I can't believe so many people are enjoying my nonsense.**

 **Happy weekend people, I'm off out for curry :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Yours.

The word rang through Emma's mind at an almost ear-splitting volume. It reverberated around as if someone had sounded a gong.

"The wish was yours, Emma." Blue repeated.

Could it really be possible that she was responsible for Regina's disappearance? All this time she had been looking for someone to blame. What if it was actually her fault? How could she live with herself? She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Deafening white noise overcame her senses. It was a good job she was sitting down because if she hadn't been, she was sure her legs would not have been able to support her.

Think, she needed to think. Regina was missing and she had somehow caused it. She needed more information, she needed answers. She desperately pushed back against the fog invading her brain.

"My wish? How?" She struggled out.

"When a new Princess is born, it is customary that they are granted one wish, to be used on their sixteenth birthday." Blue revealed before pausing to check that Emma was following. "It was my pleasure to bestow that gift upon you at your birthing ceremony. Ordinarily, the gifting Fairy would visit the Princess on the eve of her transition to womanhood, to hear and grant the wish personally. However in your case, with the dark curse looming and the uncertainty of where you would be on that important day, special dispensation was given to pre-grant your wish."

"I still not quite following..."

"When you turned sixteen you were in a land that is largely beyond the reach of magic and most certainly beyond mine whilst under the curse. My suspicion is that the tiny amount of magic following you in your early life registered that wish and stored it away until a time it could be granted. Something must have happened the other night to activate the wish. Have you any idea what that could have been?"

Emma sat in silence for a few moments, trying to assimilate the new information.

"Emma, honey. What were you doing the night Regina disappeared?" Snow asked gently.

She struggled to cast her mind back to that night. Killian had not long since moved into her house and had been bitching about closet space. Emma didn't own many clothes but she had started to accumulate a few more over the years she had been in Storybrooke. A jumper off her Mom here, a shirt of Regina's there. Her things filled about a quarter of the walk-in closet in the master bedroom. Still, it was apparently too much. Why a man that wore the same thing day in and day out needed so much closet space was anyone's guess, but in an attempt to appease the man who had traded his ship for her - a fact he reminded her of several times a day - she had attempted to clear more room.

"Erm... I was going through some of my old stuff. I.. I can't think..." She faltered, genuinely lost for words. Emma shook her head, trying desperately to think of anything she had found that could have triggered the wish.

"It's ok Emma, just try." Blue said in a reassuring voice.

During the process of making more space, she had come across a box of old photo's that she had kept from her childhood. They were mainly shots of her in various group homes, standing with a bunch of other kids whose names she could barely remember.

One of the photos was different though, amongst the group shots there had been a photo of herself as a lanky and sullen-looking sixteen-year-old. It had stuck in her mind because of what she had seen written on the back. Realisation hit her like a bucket of ice cold water.

"The Photo!" She exclaimed.

"What photo?" Asked Snow, reaching for Emma's arm to encourage her to continue.

"I was looking at some old photo's and came across one of myself when I was around sixteen." She explained. "When I turned it over I saw the words 'I wish' written on the back."

"That sounds like it could be it. What did you wish for?" Inquired Blue.

Emma hesitated, she knew it was quite likely that the answer to that question would open old wounds for both herself and her mother. Wounds that they had both worked hard to heal over the last few years. She took a deep breath.

"I wished that someone, somewhere, cared about me" The blonde answered in a quiet, almost shameful voice, purposefully avoiding Snow's eyes.

Snow shuffled awkwardly, lifting her hand to quickly wipe away an errant tear that had spilled from her watery eyes down onto her cheek. An uncomfortable silence fell over the three women as they were each drawn into their own thoughts.

"I still don't understand." Snow finally said, pulling attention back into the room."What does this have to do with Regina?"

"It would appear that Emma wished to know that someone, somewhere cared about her. Her wish was granted, magic found Regina and transported her to Emma in her time of need."

"But why Regina!" Snow exclaimed in an incredulous tone. "I care! Why not me? Or Killian for that matter? Why Regina?" Snow asked again with a hint of sadness.

"Come now Snow, you know that magic doesn't always work the way we would expect it to. Regina was chosen for a reason." Blue said trying to soothe Snow's obviously hurt feelings.

The mention of Regina's name had pulled Emma from her own musings.

"Regina is in my past?" She asked with disbelief. "That doesn't make any sense. Surely I would remember her being there?" But before the words had left her mouth she realised with surprise that maybe she did remember her being there after all.

"Time is a very tricky subject Emma. It may well be your past but it is Regina's present and the wish has only just been enacted. You don't remember because it hasn't happened yet. I suspect you will start to remember her being there as she interacts with you."

That would certainly explain the dream, it was a memory after all.

"I dreamt about her earlier." She admitted before thinking about the likely awkward questions that statement would raise.

"I would hazard a guess that that is how your new memories will surface. What happened in your dream? How did she appear to you?" Blue asked out of curiosity.

Emma flushed a little at the question. 'Smoking hot' didn't seem like an appropriate answer. Blue noticed her reaction immediately but had the good grace not to point it out to the completely oblivious Snow White.

"Erm...I don't really remember." Emma answered evasively. Why did she feel so awkward about this? She was telling the truth. She couldn't really remember what had happened, just the feelings she had experienced.

Snow hadn't registered what the other two had been talking about, she was too busy sulking about how she was overlooked by the wish and contemplating the potential ramifications of Regina's actions whilst in the past.

"Isn't it dangerous?" Snow asked in an alarmed voice. "Having Regina playing around with time, what if she accidentally changes things?"

"Don't worry Snow, she can't. The wish isn't powerful enough to effect any permanent changes in Emma's timeline. She is the saviour, everything that has happened to her, happened to make her the person she is today. The person she needs to be. After the wishes purpose has been accomplished, it's probable young Emma won't even remember meeting her. Time has a habit of healing itself. Regina isn't fated to be in Emma's life until now, so after the wish has played out, it will likely erase her from the past."

"So she is just there to make Emma believe someone cares about her?"

"Essentially yes. Once she has achieved that and fulfilled the role she has more than likely been magicked into, the wish will be complete and Regina will return to our time."

One thought in Emma's confused mind made its way to the forefront. Regina was safe. Relief flooded through her as she took what felt like the first deep breath since all of this began. She was safe, but trapped in her past for the foreseeable future. A past that she would apparently gain more and more memories of.

Thinking about time was giving Emma a massive headache. Snow had continued to ask questions but Emma could not concentrate on the answers. She really needed to lay down.

"Thank you for your time Blue." She said standing abruptly. "I'm afraid we will have to continue this another time, I am not feeling well. Could you please see that Snow gets home alright?"

"Of course." Stated Blue, recognising Emma's need to leave immediately.

"Emma... What's wrong?" Questioned Snow. She didn't get an answer.

Without further ado the blonde disappeared in a cloud of her signature white smoke, reappearing without thought back in Regina's secret room in the vault. There was nowhere else she wanted to be right now.

She needed to see Regina again, even if she couldn't speak to her. To do that she needed to sleep so she stripped off her jeans and climbed back into bed.

* * *

After the commencement of their unexpected swimming lesson, Regina and Emma had continued to mess around in the lake. It was a beautiful day and being in the water was quite refreshing. Even though Emma couldn't swim she was quite happy in the water, dunking and splashing around with the sole purpose of drenching Ria. Jasper, who had been sunning himself on the balcony of the cabin had heard the ruckus and pitched himself off into the water to join them. After about twenty minutes Regina looked over to the shore and saw Hannah sitting on top of an upturned canoe watching the three of them with a curious smile on her face. She beckoned her over so Regina excused herself and headed over to join her.

Ria and Hannah had a long history, they had become thick and fast friends the year Ria had met Roger and he had offered her a job at the camp. They had worked together every summer for years as instructors whilst taking a break from their studies. Hannah had studied business and had eventually taken over running the camp when Roger had retired.

Their summers together had been a haze of sun and young love. Almost everywhere on camp held memories of stolen kisses and awkward fumbles. But that love had never translated back into the real world. Hannah spent too much time trying to fit in with her business school contemporaries to tolerate a free spirit like Ria. Although there was much love between them both, they had eventually decided to remain just friends.

"You two seem to be getting on really well." Hannah said with a smile upon her face.

"Yeah, I think so. She is a great Kid." Regina said matching Hannah's smile.

"Is she? Her record doesn't read like that."

"Yes, she is." Regina reassured the other woman. "Her life has been awful Hannah. She just needs a chance, that's all. Just like I had. She is one of the good ones. I know it."

"How do you know?" She asked in a gentle questioning tone.

Regina, of course, couldn't tell Hannah of the many times Emma had stepped up to save her life in the future. Nor could she mention the countless times she had defended her against the often thoughtless and accusatory townspeople.

"I just know." Reassured the brunette.

"Ok." Hannah paused as if not sure she should bring up what was on her mind. But too much had passed between the two women, she couldn't remain silent. "I love how you see the best in everyone. I've watched you do this for years, you are amazing. But..." She hesitated.

Regina had been watching Emma but at that moment she snapped her head around to look at Ria's oldest friend.

"But?" Questioned Regina, giving Hannah a warning look.

"When I look at the two of you I see something different. I hate to have to ask Ree but do I need to be worried?"

"Hannah, she is sixteen! I thought you knew me well enough to know that I would never cross that line."

"I do." She said whilst exhaling her breath looking almost ashamed. "But I know that look in your eye Ree Ree." She paused..."It was aimed at me long enough."

A tsunami of emotion crashed through Regina's brain. Emotions that were not entirely her own. It was incredibly overwhelming as she was currently in the midst of her own emotional turmoil. She was very much in love with Emma Swan. This was an undeniable fact. But being here with the youngster was having a very strange effect upon her. On the one hand every moment they spent together had her falling deeper and deeper but on the other hand, this version was so young and vulnerable that her huge maternal streak was kicking in big time.

On top of that, Ria's emotions were thrown into the mix. Ria loved Hannah with her whole heart and soul and this conversation was breaking her heart.

Regina took hold of Hannah's hand. She needed to step up for the sake of her host. She had no idea what this experience was doing to her. Was she dormant whilst Regina unwittingly used her as a vessel? If the current onslaught of feeling was anything to go by then the answer was not entirely.

"It will always be aimed at you. You know that." Ria whispered in answer. Hannah moved closer and placed her head on the other woman's shoulder. "She is special Han, she just needs my help. That's all."

"Ok honey. But... Just be aware, that look isn't one-sided. She looks back at you the same way. Promise me you will be careful."

"I will." Regina promised.

Hannah stood up and left, leaving Regina to her thoughts. Hannah was of course right, she did need to be careful. She had known that already but she was alarmed to learn that her feelings were so obvious to someone else. She was here to help Emma, not confuse her. Regina suddenly began to panic, what if her actions here changed the future? What if because of her Henry wasn't born? That possibility scared the life out of her. No, she couldn't think like that. She had to believe that she was here for a reason, she couldn't afford to doubt or second guess herself. With great difficulty, she put that thought to one side. She had to believe that everything would work out ok and her presence here was for the greater good.

Emma had been happily playing with Jasper in the water, he absolutely loved splashing around. His favourite game was trying to catch splashes of water in his mouth. Which was somewhat alarming if he was swimming at the time. It resulted in a slightly worrying and rather hilarious frantic snap and dunk manoeuvre involving lots of barking. This had kept Emma so busy that she hadn't paid much attention to Ria and Hannah. She finally looked over to see the pair sitting, holding hands on top of a canoe, Hannah with her head on Ria's shoulder and Ria looking very stressed.

Emma continued to watch as confusion gripped hold of her. She felt strong emotions stir within her but couldn't pinpoint exactly how the sight made her feel. Ria didn't look like she was enjoying the interaction. This made Emma cross. How dare Hannah make her feel that way. She also felt immensely jealous, she wanted to be close to Ria. She wanted to touch her, to hold her hand and stroke her hair. She enjoyed being physically close to the brunette, she had never enjoyed that with anyone else. These feelings were driving her mad, she needed to be somewhere else right now. So she stomped her way out of the water and began heading towards the cabin.

Regina saw her go and pulled herself from her own spiralling thoughts. Emma looked sad. She jogged to catch her up with Jasper close behind.

"Hey, You ok?"

"Fine." Snapped the blonde.

"Em?" Said the older woman gently, reaching for her arm.

"I'm fine Ree, I'm cold. I'm going for a shower."

It was around one pm and the temperature has skyrocketed. Emma was lying and Regina knew it.

"Stop. Talk to me. What has got you so upset?"

"Will you just BACK OFF!" She shouted, whirling around and raising her hand, forming it into a fist. She, of course, would never hit Ria but old habits die hard. Regina was no stranger to Emma's temper. In those early days, she had become intimately familiar with the thrill of entering Emma's personal space whilst she was in that heightened state.

She couldn't help herself. Ria had a very calming effect on Regina's often fiery temper but right now there was no reeling it in. She stepped right up to her and fronted up. Their faces were inches apart, eyes blazing with anger and passion.

What the hell was she doing? She was acting like a teenager herself. Something was going to give and she just couldn't let that happen. She had to remind herself that she was the adult here.

"Fine" Regina sneered. Turning on her heal and stomping off in the direction of her own shower, leaving a slack jawed Emma watching her go.

Forty minutes later, hunger brought both Emma and Regina down to the kitchen.

"What would you like to eat?" Regina asked in a clipped tone. Still not entirely over her own behaviour earlier.

"Anything, whatever." Was Emma's subdued response. Without even thinking she started pulling out the things necessary to make Emma a grilled cheese. Emma noticed immediately, the thought touched her and made her feel even guiltier about her outburst earlier.

"We should talk about earlier." Regina said in a soft voice.

"I don't know what to say." Replied Emma honestly.

"Well, I do. I want to apologise for losing my temper. It shouldn't have happened and I am sorry. It was unprofessional."

"I should be the one apologising, I am sorry I raised my hand to you. I would never dream of hurting you. I am so sorry." She said, shaking her head with shame.

"I know you would never hurt me. I trust you." Regina said taking her hand from across the counter. "Could you please try to explain to me why you reacted the way you did?"

The teen exhaled, why had she acted like that? She wished she knew.

"I was upset. I needed some space. In the homes, the only way you can get any is by threatening to hurt someone."

Of course. Regina silently chastised herself for failing to realise that. Ria had also grown up in care and had very vivid memories of times when she had been desperate for a little space herself. There were times when she'd had to do the exact same thing.

"I'm sorry, I should have realised. I remember what it's like sometimes." Admitted Regina quietly, talking more as Ria now.

"You remember...?" Emma questioned, her brows knitting together in confusion.

"Yeah, I grew up in care too." Elaborated the older woman.

"Oh." Acknowledged the teen, finally lifting her gaze to meet that of the other woman. As their eyes met they shared an unspoken understanding.

Ria's memories had taken Regina by surprise, some of the things her host had experienced as a child, she wouldn't wish upon her worst enemy. It was with great sadness that she realised that it was very likely Emma had had similar experiences. With that thought, a lone tear escaped from a honey coloured eye. Without thought, Emma brushed it away with her thumb as she cupped the woman's cheek whilst looking deep into her eyes. Regina coughed and pulled away, finding the gesture far too intimate.

"What upset you?" The brunette asked, changing the subject.

"I'm not sure" Admitted the teen. "I saw you and Hannah and it made me cross."

Regina's heart fluttered a tiny bit.

"Why?" She asked.

"I just... I don't know. You just looked uncomfortable. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." Emma said, jumping down off her stool and walking around the counter to where Regina was stood. She stood behind her and hesitantly reached out to gently snake her arms around the older woman's waist. Despite herself, Regina relaxed into the embrace and rested her head back onto Emma's shoulder.

"I was." She said. "Now I am ok." She rested her hands on top of Emma's.

"Good." The blonde smiled, squeezing a little tighter.

Regina joined her in her smile before both of them laughed and parted. Both feeling the loss of contact immediately. Emma returned to her seat and snagged a piece of cheese on the way. This gained her a reluctant smile off of her companion.

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask you. Who is that boy on the bus?" Regina asked as she continued buttering the bread.

"Oh that guy? Just some prick I punched at school."

"Oh Emma." Regina replied with an exasperated sigh.

"If it helps, he was being a real jerk." She replied in that very Emma Swan cute voice accompanied by a cheeky grin.

Regina rolled her eyes and returned her attention to making lunch.

 **AN: Sorry it's late, the sun came out and in England and here it is customary to treat every sunny day like it is the last we will ever see. We are talking dodgy shorts and hideously unflattering wife beater vests. Fifty people trying to fit into a two metre squared pub garden and everyone wandering around exclaiming "Blimey, it's bloody hot!" The weather this week has been glorious!**

 **Happy weekend people. Love and peace to all.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Trigger warning: attempted sexual assault. Don't worry, there is a hero around to save the day. This chapter gets pretty angsty towards the end. Sorry.**

Chapter 10

Henry was starting to worry, he hadn't seen Emma for a few days now.

The afternoon Snow had returned to the loft after the meeting with The Blue Fairy she had been acting rather distant. She had said that they had worked out where his other Mother was and that she was safe but she wouldn't give him any more details. She had said that it was up to Emma to tell him. When he asked where Emma was, Snow had started to obsessively clean the kitchen in order to avoid his questions.

So he had gone out looking by himself. First, he checked her house. There was no sign of anyone there so then he headed towards the docks. He suspected it was a long shot but he still had to check.

Henry knew both of his mothers pretty well and it frustrated him no end that they didn't seem to know themselves as well as he did. He loved them both very much but some days he just wanted to bang their heads against a wall.

Firstly there was his brunette Mom. The enigma who had once been the greatly feared Evil Queen. A woman so mistreated and manipulated that she had felt like she had to become a mass murderer just to gain back some control over her life. He had heard the stories of her previous life and although he believed them, these days he just couldn't believe that that had ever been her life. Even when he had met the actual Evil Queen, she had still been kind to him. Albeit in a misguided way.

To Henry, Regina would only ever be his Mommy. The always prim and proper former Queen was the most loving and giving person he knew. He remembered her crawling around the floor with him when he was younger and he remembered her rocking him to sleep, singing the most beautiful songs he had ever heard. He may have forgotten a few years ago but now he knew how loved he was by her. He knew firsthand how much love she had to offer and it was endless.

He had thought for a while that she had finally found someone worthy of the gift of her love, Robin seemed perfect. But ultimately Henry had grown to dislike the man. He wanted her to be happy after everything she had endured, but Robin simply wasn't good enough for her. His moral code meant that Regina was pushed aside time and time again and that did not sit right with Henry. Sure, he had come through in the end, sacrificing himself for her but Henry suspected that that too had just been an example of his unyieldingly self-righteous morality. No, Robin may have been her 'soul mate', but he wasn't good enough for her.

Henry knew someone who was though... Emma.

The brave and fearless warrior and dragon slayer, the fabled White Knight of the Enchanted Forest. The lost girl that grew up in a strange land all alone. The woman who had been starved of love for much of her life that she was now willing to accept the conditions of any love she had finally found.

Henry knew Emma, he was part of her after all. He knew that she wasn't happy the way things were. He knew she was only pretending so she could fit into the neat little slot she was expected to slide into as Princess and future ruler of the Enchanted Forest. Maybe she did love Hook, but she certainly didn't look at him the way she did his other Mother.

Yep, Henry Mills wholeheartedly believed that his two mothers were perfect for each other. So much so in fact that he had once raised this with the mother he thought would be most receptive to the suggestion. Regina had flushed and attempted to laugh off the idea until she had finally admitted that she thought he was maybe right. But she made him promise not to mention it to Emma.

"She's finally happy Henry. Please don't ruin it for her." She had implored.

"How do you know she is happy? For Christ's sake Mom, they have been dating for years and she has only just let him move in!"

"Language." She had replied. "I know because I asked her. She said she was finally ready to open her heart to him."

"Finally been ground into submission you mean."

"Just drop it please." Had been the almost defeated answer. Yes, his mothers were perfect for each other. If only they could see that.

Henry walked up the gangplank onto the Jolly Roger and was greeted with the sight of a very drunk Captain Hook clumsily waving a cutlass around in front of him.

"Avast! Who goes there?" Slurred the Pirate.

"It's me Killian, is Emma here?" Henry asked, ducking out of the way as Hook stumbled towards him.

"Does it look like she is here lad?" He answered, gesturing towards the empty deck.

Henry quickly looked around and saw nothing but numerous empty rum bottles.

"Not really." Henry replied. "Do you know where she is?"

"Don't you? I suspect I would be the last to know lad."

"What's going on?" Henry asked out of curiosity. After all, he didn't hate Hook, he just didn't think he was the one for his Ma.

"What's going on?" Hook repeated shaking his head. "What's going on is I don't know what else to do to make her love me."

"Have you ever considered that perhaps you can't make her?" Henry replied somewhat impatiently.

"Aye lad, I have." The pirate conceded. "I thought she just needed time, I thought when we got engaged things would be different but they're not. She's still more interested in the Queen than she ever has been in me."

"Oh, you noticed that?" Henry responded kindly. For all of his faults he did seem to love Emma, the realisation that his love wasn't entirely reciprocated must be hard to bear.

"Aye lad." Was the pirates defeated response as he turned to walk back to the entrance to the lower decks. Henry watched him as he ducked through the hatch and disappeared from sight.

As he turned to leave he felt a vibration in his pocket. It was a text from Emma.

Henry, where are you? I have news.

Emma had needed to get out of Blue's office, her immediate response had been to run to comfort, to run to where she felt closest to Regina. It had taken her an hour to come to her senses. An hour too long in her mind. She had responsibilities, she had a son that needed to know the facts.

So they met at Granny's and Emma had told him what Blue had told her.

"So let me get this straight," he said, trying to get a grasp on the situation. "You wished to know that someone cared about you when you were a kid and Mom was magicked eighteen years into your past."

"That's essentially it, yes." Emma answered guiltily.

"And you are remembering your time together as time goes on?"

"Yes." She paused. "I'm sorry Henry."

"Why are you sorry?" Henry enquired.

"For taking her away from you." She answered, looking down at her hands.

"She will be back right?" He reassured.

"Yeah, but I don't know when."

"Then don't apologise, I think your younger self needs her more than I do right now."

Emma smiled at her son. He was right, as usual. Maybe she did need her more right now. Before they said their farewells, Emma checked that Henry was ok to stay with Snow a little while longer while she got her head around the new developments. His answer had of course been yes, so she hugged him goodbye and headed off back to the vault and to her dreams.

That had been three days ago.

* * *

Throughout Emma's first week on camp, the pair had easily slipped into the routines of successful cohabiting. Every morning started with a run followed by a swimming lesson in the lake. Then they would entertain themselves by having a go at some of the various activities the camp had to offer.

Emma had eventually got her archery lesson. She absolutely loved it and it was no surprise to Regina that she was really rather good at it.

After their morning activity they would head back to the cabin for a healthy lunch and then the afternoons were spent exploring the forest either on foot or on bikes or some days they found their way to the climbing wall. Emma enjoyed this immensely. She was a quick study when it came to belaying and Regina quickly trusted her with her life, literally. They would take turns climbing, Regina, with Ria's expertise, would demonstrate how to tackle a climb whilst Emma would drink in the experience and later, attempt to copy. Ria was an excellent climber meaning that Regina was too. Emma couldn't get enough of watching her, she could tackle any move with grace and ease whilst explaining exactly how she was counterbalancing her body. Emma told herself that she found the sight so appealing because of her ability, and while this was certainly true, the fact that she looked so fucking hot doing it certainly helped.

Emma became quite a good climber herself, as well as the physical side of it there was also a geeky bio-mechanical element that Emma found she really enjoyed. She had always felt a little awkward in her own skin, especially since puberty hit. She had become tall and gangly and getting used to that new height was something she still hadn't quite mastered. She often tripped over her own feet and walked into things. Climbing, and more specifically understanding how to use her body was really helping.

The more she climbed the better she became and she started to get frustrated that she was being held back by her strength and so pull-ups had been added to their morning fitness programme.

As much as Emma enjoyed all of the physical stuff they did throughout their days, she loved the evenings even more. They always began with a cooking lesson followed by time for the pair to chill out together. Some nights they watched a film whilst lounging together on the couch, other nights they would play football on the lake shore with anyone who wanted to join in. When bedtime had rolled around on the second night a silent understanding had been reached. Both Emma and Regina left their bedroom doors open so Jasper could come and go as he pleased. He stayed with Emma until she was asleep and then left to go and join his owner. When he did Regina was finally able to settle, knowing that Emma was asleep. As Jasper settled next to her, she would lean over to kiss his head and enjoy the fact that he smelled just like Emma.

Regina was happy, really happy. Ria's life was uncomplicated and fun. What made it even better was the fact that she got to spend time with Emma, to help her see the joy life had to offer. After her chat with Hannah, Regina had made a conscious effort to keep a professional distance from Emma. However the pair had quickly and naturally fallen into the habit of easy touches and playful banter and Emma also seemed happy, she had become boisterous and was great fun to be around. Emma's happiness meant the world to Regina.

On day three it had become obvious to Regina that Emma's old converse were not going to be able to withstand the new regime so with Hannah's permission they had raided the lost property store. Emma's eyes had widened upon entering the Aladdin's cave, full to the brim of things people had just forgotten about.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "Most of the shit in here is better quality than I have ever had. Kids just leave this stuff?"

"Rich kids don't look after their stuff very well. They have never had to. If they lose something daddy can just buy another." Regina replied.

"What happens to all this stuff?"

"It just gets kept here until someone claims it"

"But they never do?" Enquired Emma.

"Rarely. When I was younger I used to get all of my clothes from in here." She said casually whilst picking up a blue and white plaid shirt. "This will look great on you." She said throwing it over to Emma. She held it up in wonder, it was a really nice shirt in just her size.

"I thought we were just getting some sneakers?" Emma asked in confusion.

"You can take whatever you need. It's better that you have it than it just sitting in here going to waste."

And that is how Emma Swan gained a whole new wardrobe of clothes.

Emma's tenth day at camp had started just like all the rest had. They met in the kitchen at 6.30 and had eventually headed out for their morning run. They had stuck with three miles for the first few days and then had steadily started to increase, today, however, they had decided to run a shorter distance at a faster pace. When they returned to the lake shore they took a quick rest to rehydrate, then started their pull up reps. Regina, with the aid of Ria's muscles, could beat Emma hands down but every day she was getting stronger and stronger.

After that, they kicked off their sneakers and jumped into the water. Again Emma was really improving, already being water confident, all she needed was to master the technique.

After about half an hour in the water Emma, who was feeling a little tired, excused herself and headed off for a shower. Regina and Jasper had stayed by the lake a little longer to help one of the instructors set up for their morning session.

After Emma had finished her shower she had headed down to the kitchen and found Jasper sunning himself on the bottom balcony. This meant that Ria must have returned and was probably taking a shower too.

She poured herself an OJ and her thoughts turned to the person she was spending most of her time thinking about these days. The amazing brunette she had become fast friends with. They had become really close over the last ten days and despite Emma's initial hesitation towards Ria, she found it was impossible not to let her in. She had begun to slowly open up to the brunette, talking about all sorts of thoughts and feelings and she had, in return shared some stories from her own childhood. The instant connection she had felt to the older woman had only grown in the time they had spent together and now they were practically inseparable.

Emma was having the time of her life at Camp Lonestar and that was entirely thanks to Ria, she was kind and generous and actually cared about her. Emma wanted to do something nice for her, something to show her that she really appreciated their time together. She wasn't sure if she could ever repay her, but she was determined to try.

She had an idea, she would make her a coffee and take it up to the top balcony ready for when she finished in the shower. Emma excitedly started to make her a cup, just the way she knew she liked it. Finally, with OJ and coffee in hand, she made her way up the steps onto the mezzanine level and out onto its much smaller balcony. She set down the drinks on the table and made herself comfortable on one of the chairs. As she sat and looked out over the lake, she contemplated the many ways her life had changed for the better in the last ten days.

As she sat there in the sun she realised she could hear singing. A beautiful and unfamiliar song was coming from somewhere near. The balcony led onto a fire escape around the back of the cabin and eventually to steps leading down to the ground. Without thought, Emma went off in search of the source of this beautiful sirens song.

Her quest took her to an open window and in her curiosity, she stood up on her tiptoes to look though. She hadn't realised that the window led to Ria's en-suite. Emma immediately froze in shock at the sight before her. There stood Ria in all of her naked glory, towelling herself off after just stepping out of the shower. All the while singing the most beautiful song Emma had ever heard.

Her toned and athletic body glistened from the slight moisture still clinging to her skin. Emma couldn't help but drink in the sight of her bare breasts, round and gloriously proportioned. Her perky, dusky nipples were erect from the temperature change and pointing ever so slightly skyward. The teen knew she needed to stop looking but couldn't help herself, she was looking at the single most beautiful person she had ever seen.

Emma had of course seen naked bodies before, after all, she had lived in shared rooms all her life. She had even seen the odd naked boy. Last year one of the nicer boys her age at the home had offered to let her have a look at his dick. She had accepted out of curiosity. She had even touched it and watched with relative interest as it had begun to harden, but beyond the novelty of it being different to what God had gifted her with, she wasn't really interested.

She was however very interested in the sight before her. Her mind instantly conjured images of herself worshiping those beautiful breasts. She thought about exactly how she would touch them, cupping and lifting them gently to feel their weight. Then she thought about how she would kiss them softly until eventually she would put her lips delicately around a nipple and start to suck. Her own nipples became painfully hard at the thought. That briefly led her thoughts back to her first night on camp when her body had reacted the same way whilst lying in Ria's warm embrace. Now, just like then she started to feel a dull aching between her legs.

Her eyes, which until now had not left the brunette's breasts began to track lower as they took in the sight of Ria's toned abs whilst still continuing their journey south. They finally fixed on her well-maintained patch of dark pubic hair. Emma's eyes bulged even wider and she unknowingly licked her lips. Oh how she would love to touch and explore Ria there. She wondered if it would feel the same as her own.

As she lost herself in that thought her hand subconsciously rose to one of her own painfully erect nipples. As she rubbed her thumb over it a small whimper escaped her lips. Just then Regina paused her singing and cocked her head to one side as if to check if she had heard something. Emma was immediately jolted back to reality as she ducked to the side so she wouldn't be seen at the window.

She took a deep and silent breath to help regain some composure, but it didn't help, her brain flew into a panic as she made a bolt for the fire escape steps. She hit the ground at a run and sprinted out onto the lake-shore, eventually stopping to sit on top of the same canoe she had seen Ria and Hannah sitting on days before.

She couldn't believe what she had just done. She was utterly disgusted with herself, not only because she had violated Ria's privacy but because of the way looking at her had made her feel. She had allowed herself to become sexually aroused whilst spying on her new friend. Her amazing, naked, female friend. She felt like crying as the realisation hit her that the confusion she had been feeling for days now was sexual attraction.

Why did she have to fucking ruin everything?

Ria would never want to see her again if she knew she was... gay.

Oh fuck, she thought. I'm gay.

That would certainly explain why she had never been interested in boys like the cock crazy girls she shared rooms with.

Just then she was pulled from her thoughts by a voice behind her.

"I saw you, you fucking pervert. How do you think your little girlfriend will feel when I tell her I saw you touching yourself whilst spying on her?"

"Billy!" She exclaimed in shock.

"Answer the fucking question you sicko. How is she going to react when I tell her?"

"Please don't tell her! I'll do anything!" Was the blondes desperate reply. Holding up her hands begging Billy not to tell.

"Oh really." He said with an evil glint in his eye. He quickly scanned the waterfront to see if there was anyone around, when he was sure there would be no witnesses he started to reach for the zipper on the front of his shorts. He cupped the bulge below as he started to slowly draw it down.

Emma started to panic, her breathing became erratic as tears started to fall from her eyes.

Suddenly, as if by magic, a black and white blur jumped in-between the pair bearing his teeth and making one hell of a noise. Billy quickly pulled his zip back up the inch he had managed to pull it down.

"Get that fucking dog away from me!" He shouted in surprise.

"Only if you get the fuck away from Emma." Answered a low and possessive voice. If Emma had any inkling who the Evil Queen was she would have recognised her standing behind Billy Morgan on that lake shore.

"This will keep Swan." He said as he turned to walk away. Leaving a dumbfounded Emma staring at his retreating form.

 **AN: As ever thanks for all the follows, favourites and lovely comments. I am really enjoying writing this tale and the knowledge that people are enjoying reading it keeps me going.**

 **Peace and love, I'm off for a pint.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Warning - Billy's manhood does not get through this chapter entirely unscathed.**

Chapter 11

Both Regina and Jasper positioned themselves between Emma and Billy as he made his exit. They kept their eyes trained on him until he was out of sight. Only when she was sure the threat had gone did the brunette turn to look at the teen.

"Are you ok? What the hell was that about?" She had asked before registering the look of absolute terror on Emma's face. She was shaking uncontrollably and tears were streaming down her cheeks. She had drawn her knees up to her chest and was rocking herself, staring off into the far distance.

"Oh, sweetheart." Regina cooed, immediately sitting astride the canoe, enveloping her in her strong arms, pulling her body flush with her own. She pulled Emma's head into the crook of her neck and buried her face into blonde waves. "Oh baby, it's ok. We've got you." She reassured, rocking along with her as she placed gentle and chaste kisses upon the top of her head.

Emma was panicking, she couldn't bear the thought that Billy may tell Ria what he had seen. If he did she was bound to be thrown out of camp. Who would want to work with a freak like her?

It couldn't happen, Ria could never know. She had just met this amazing woman, there was no way Billy Morgan was going to ruin this for her. She'd had shit all her whole life, she wasn't having this taken from her, on that fact she was absolutely resolute. However, her stomach flipped at the thought of what she might have to do to keep him quiet. The idea of having to touch what lay beneath his zipper totally revolted her. She didn't want anything to do with him or his dick. What the fuck was she going to do? She felt entirely alone until she registered the strong arms and the whispered words. She realised that she was not alone after all.

She melted into Regina's embrace, she thought that in those arms she may just be able to forget the world...

The brunette's just fresh from the shower smell was incredibly comforting and she nuzzled in closer to breathe in as much of it as she could.

They sat like this for a few minutes, Regina continued to murmur words of comfort whilst peppering soft kisses into her hair.

Emma's thoughts started to calm and as they did she realised the position she was in. To her shame, she yet again felt the stirrings of her desire. Maybe Billy is right she thought, maybe she is a sicko. Ria was just offering her comfort and there she was getting turned on.

Her body stiffened as her thoughts started to settle over her, she quickly jumped out of the warm and caring embrace and began to distance herself from the other woman. Out of instinct, Regina reached out to stop her from fleeing, as her hand touched Emma's arm the teen became even more distressed and broke down into desperate sobs.

"Please don't comfort me!" She cried out. "I don't deserve it. I'm a freak!"

"Of course you deserve it," Regina said softly. "And you are most certainly not a freak. Why would you say that?"

Regina stood up and gently wrapped her arms around her from behind, mirroring how Emma had comforted her days before. She placed her forehead against Emma's back.

"Tell me what's wrong Emma. There's nothing we can't fix."

Emma wanted to tell her, she really did. Her thoughts were overwhelming her and she really needed Ria's help to work through them, but she couldn't run the risk of losing her.

"I can't." She cried. "You will hate me."

"I promise you that will never be true." Regina vehemently stated. "It's just not possible."

A defeated Emma shook her head and stepped out of Regina's arms. She started to walk back towards the cabin with Jasper on her heel.

Regina sat back down on the canoe and watched her go. She knew that for now at least, she needed some space.

She wondered what had happened to upset her so much. She had just been pulling on her clothes when she heard Jasper barking on the balcony below. She has rushed out on to the top balcony to see if she could identify the problem. She looked down to where Jasper was focused on something out on the lakeshore. She had tracked her eyes across and seen two figures, one was a distressed looking Emma holding her hands up as if begging for mercy.

"GO!" She shouted down to Jasper, giving him permission to jump the railings into the shallow water and go to Emma's aid. She herself ran for the fire escape steps.

She hadn't seen or heard what Billy was up to but it had sure spooked Emma.

She hated to see her this way, so lost and scared. Her heart ached thinking about Emma's life up until now and also her life to come. In less than twelve months time she would be pregnant and in jail, this thought enraged the brunette. Not for the first time, she found herself thinking that Baelfire was a fucking asshole, the damage he had caused was immense, how could he have taken advantage of her like that? She is so young and innocent. Regina just couldn't fathom how anyone who claimed to love Emma could ever hurt her that way. If Emma had been pregnant with her child she would have moved heaven and Earth to give them both the best life possible. She would love and protect and cherish Emma and her child with her whole heart and soul. Not leave her to rot in a cell feeling so lost and alone.

Then she remembered that the child that will soon be growing inside Emma is her child in all but biology. He will go on to be her salvation. It devastated Regina to realise that Emma had to suffer immensely in order to bring about her eventual happiness. She wished so much that she could spare her that pain. But she knew she couldn't, she knew things had to happen the way they had.

That knowledge awoke Regina's fierce Momma bear instinct. She may not be able to save Emma from her fate but she sure as hell can show her how special she is and how much she is loved before she is sent down that path.

So for now, Emma can have her space. But from now on Regina vowed that she was going to make this the best summer of Emma's life. Little did she know that in the ten days they had already spent together, she had achieved this twenty times over.

* * *

Snow had spent days frantically looking everywhere for Emma, or at least everywhere she could think of. Henry knew full well where she was but he wasn't about to tell his Grandma. She was holed up in his other Mother's not so evil lair. He had suspected for a while that was where she would be but purposefully hadn't gone looking as he didn't want to interrupt her thinking time. He knew how difficult both of his mothers found processing their feelings and he wanted to give Emma the space he knew she needed to do that, however, enough was enough. No one had seen her for days and he was starting to worry, so off he went with a Granny's takeout bag in hand. He had announced his presence rather loudly at the top of the steps, not wanting to startle her, as he didn't fancy being accidentally blasted into next week.

Emma had been sitting at a small writing desk in the back corner of the main room when she had heard him. She looked up with a smile on her face and shouted back "Down here!"

She rose to her feet and rushed over to greet her son as he got to the bottom of the stairs.

"Henry!" She exclaimed pulling him into a bone crushing hug. "What are you doing here?"

"No one has seen you in ages Ma, I came to see that you are ok."

"Oh." She said. "How long have I been down here?"

"Days." Was his simple response. "What have you been doing?"

She thought for a moment, what had she been doing? She had fallen into a cycle of sleeping, then documenting her dreams. When she had written down all she could remember, she would go back to sleep and repeat the process. Young Emma had been at camp for nine days now. Nine bliss filled days and she didn't want to forget a single moment.

"I've been writing down my new memories, I don't want to forget any of them." She pointed over to the desk where there was a stack of notebooks.

"Wow, that is a lot of memories." He stated.

"Yeah, well there is a lot happening at camp."

"Camp?" He questioned.

"I'm at summer camp or at least younger me is."

"And Mom's there too? Doing what?" Henry couldn't believe his ears. The thought of Regina at a summer camp amused him greatly.

"She is my mentor, kinda like my own personal camp counsellor. She is teaching me loads of stuff, like how to swim and how to eat well."

"She is teaching you to swim! I didn't even know she could." He exclaimed, the thought of her Majesty, Queen Regina splashing around in water amazed him. "Oh that reminds me, have you eaten?" He asked holding out the takeout bag.

"Not for a while." She honestly couldn't remember the last time she had eaten. "Awesome." She said ripping it open. "Grilled cheese, Score!" She smiled taking a huge bite. She hadn't realised how hungry she was. "Your Mom makes the best Grilled Cheese sandwiches, she taught me on my first day. She is a great cook. She taught me Spaghetti Bolognese the other night."

"She's got you cooking too!?" He asked in amusement. He would have given anything to have seen that lesson. "What else have you guys been up?" He asked in wonder.

And with that Emma launched into story after story about her time so far on camp with Regina - obviously missing out some of the more personal details.

Henry listened intently and marvelled at the happiness pouring out of his very animated Ma. He hadn't seen her like this in ages, she was happy, truly happy and radiating pure joy.

She was halfway through telling him about a particularly tricky climbing move when he just couldn't contain himself any longer. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a big kiss on her forehead.

"What was that for?" She giggled.

"For you, I love seeing you like this. You are so happy!"

"I am." She confirmed with a smile. "I'm having the time of my life at camp, I kinda wish I was actually there. I haven't had a holiday in years"

"Well, maybe when Mom get back the two of you can fix that."

"Yeah, maybe.." She answered dismissively. She briefly wondered what he had meant by that.

* * *

Regina eventually made her way back up to the cabin where she discovered that Emma had taken to her room. She knocked lightly and waited for a response, when none came she sighed and placed her forehead against the wood. It was then that she registered the soft sobs coming from within.

She wished more than anything that she could open that door and take Emma's pain away but she knew she couldn't. She couldn't force the youngster to talk to her, whatever the problem was she needed to come to her in her own time. She stood by the door for another few minutes trying to think if there was anything at all she could do to help the teen. She eventually decided that time was all she could offer, so she turned to leave but she found that she couldn't walk away without trying to offer some comfort.

"I know that you are upset, I just want to help. I'm here for you. Always." She said lifting her hand to touch the door as if reaching to comfort the youngster. Just then she heard the door click open.

Emma had been lying on her bed trying to control her breathing. On top of her shame and fear she also felt stupid for allowing herself to cry like this. Crying just wasn't something she did, she had learned a long time ago it was entirely pointless. But she just couldn't seem to stop herself.

She had heard a knock at her door and knew it was Ria coming to check on her. She had no intention of letting her in. In the state she was in she couldn't trust herself not to do or say something stupid. She desperately needed her comforting presence but knew that she had to resist. She remained silent and waited for the brunette to give up and walk away but she didn't. She remained on the other side of the closed door for what felt like an age. Emma could feel her there. Eventually, she went to leave, parting with five words that broke straight through Emma's resolve.

"I'm here for you. Always."

Emma had waited her whole life to hear those words.

She jumped off the bed and pulled open the door to face the woman that was making such a profound difference to her life.

Neither one of them said a word. Emma turned and laid back down on the bed and Regina settled herself right at the end of it being careful to respect Emma's personal space. Jasper, who had followed Emma back to the cabin earlier had been sitting outside her door. Now he had been allowed access he wasn't feeling as respectful as Regina, he jumped up onto the bed and nudged his way into Emma's arms. She held him as tears continued to fall down her cheeks.

Regina wanted to hold her so much, she wanted to pull her into her arms but she knew that wasn't what Emma wanted. She had pulled away from her out on the shore, said she didn't deserve her comfort. Regina didn't believe that for one second but Emma clearly did. It pained Regina to know that the teen felt that way. She was just grateful that she was willing to except Jasper's affection.

"He is going to ruin everything." Emma eventually said.

"Who? What do you mean?" Regina enquired.

"Billy, he..." Emma faltered. "He knows something about me and he is threatening to tell."

"Tell who?"

"Everyone!" Exclaimed the teen. "You." She added in a near whisper.

"I see." Regina replied. Her mind was racing, what could he possibly know that would have Emma so desperate for her not to find out. Could it have something to do with the black eye he had been sporting when he'd first come to camp? Probably not, she knew about that. Whatever it was is was clearly something Emma didn't want her to know. Suddenly her attention was drawn back into the room when Emma let out a noticeably louder sob. "What does he want you to do in order to keep your secret?" She asked gently.

"I'm not sure, he was unzipping his shorts when you arrived."

Regina immediately flew into a blind rage. Of course, no one looking on would have known that. She was excellent at hiding her emotions outwardly. This one though was proving to be quite hard to contain.

"I'll kill him before that happens." She quietly stated, surprising even herself. She hadn't felt homicidal in quite some time. Emma sat bolt upright in shock, her hand flew out to grab the older woman's wrist.

"NO! Ree please don't go near him. I don't want you to get into trouble." She begged. The look of concern on Emma's face shocked her. The last thing she wanted to do was add to the teens already mounting stress levels.

"Ok, I won't. But can I give you some advice?"

"Of course." The blonde said looking at her expectantly, withdrawing the grip she had on her.

"He is just a bully and bullies only have power if you give it to them. Is what he knows really worth giving him that power?" Regina reached out her own hand and linked her fingers through Emma's. "Is your secret really worth giving in to him? I suspect not as I can promise you there is nothing he, or you for that matter could ever tell me that will make me hate you."

"I'm not so sure, it's pretty big." Emma replied hesitantly.

"Well, when you are ready, why don't you try me?" Regina encouraged flashing the teen a beautiful smile.

Emma looked into Regina's eyes to try and catch the hint of a lie but there was none there. All she could see was truth and sincerity and something else she had so rarely seen that she struggled to identify it. Then it struck her, Ria was looking at her the way some of the kid's parents had looked at them as they had picked them up. She was looking at her with love. Emma's heart nearly exploded with joy.

"Thank you Ree," Emma answered, smiling back. The chat had really helped and she felt ready to take on the world. "I feel loads better, but before a tell you I think I may need to talk to Billy."

"Do you want me to talk to him with you?"

"No, thank you. But stay close?"

"Always"

And with that, the pair rose from the bed and made their way towards the door to find Billy Morgan.

The search hadn't taken long, they had asked his counsellor where he was likely to be as it was currently free time. He had told them that he was a bit of a weirdo loner and when he wasn't spying on other kids he spent his time in a clearing a short distance from his cabin. Emma had asked Ree to wait out of earshot and promised she would shout if she needed her.

She took a deep breath and held her head high before stepping out into the clearing. She hadn't come here to beg and she certainly hadn't come to give in to his demands. Ree was right, he was just a bully and two could play that game.

Billy was sitting on a log drawing rude images in the dirt with a stick when he heard a noise behind him. He turned to see who dared to interrupt him. When he saw who it was his eyes lit up with glee.

"Swan, I knew you would come around." He stood up and palmed his crotch like he had earlier. Emma remained silent as she stood before him. "You have made the right decision. She wouldn't want anything to do with you if she knew your dirty little secret. Now be a good girl and kneel down."

She remained standing for she didn't kneel for anyone, she watched on as he rubbed himself harder and began to lower his zipper to free his now hard dick. Once the zip was fully down he dipped his hand through the gap and stroked himself a few more times before pulling his appendage out into the fresh air.

Emma managed to stifle a laugh as she noticed the size of it. She stepped forward, held out her hand and gently took hold of his junk.

"Ohhh!" He exclaimed in pleasure. "That's it you fucking dyke, feel what you are missing out on. Feel a real dick."

With that Emma took a vice-like grip of he had to offer and squeezed. Not too hard but enough to grab his attention.

"Oww, what the fuck you stupid bitch, not so hard!"

Emma squeezed again and squared right up to him.

"First of all, you dumb fuck, if I wanted to 'feel a real dick' I would start with one bigger than this little button mushroom and second, call me a dyke one more time and I will rip it off." She squeezed again to emphasise her point. "Now, are you listening?"

Billy nodded with tears in his now bloodshot eyes.

"Good. You are not going to say a fucking word to anyone because if you do you will find I am a lot less gentle next time. Do I make myself clear?" When he didn't answer she asked again a little more forcefully. "Do I make myself clear?"

This time he nodded and forced out a "Y..y..yessss."

She let go and he collapsed in a heap.

"You will fucking pay for this." He shouted cupping his bollocks whilst rolling on the ground. Emma realised that she had perhaps been a little naive in thinking that physical violence would convince him to keep his mouth shut.

She knew what she had to do. Her little talk with Ree had convinced her that everything would be ok. She believed her when she said she could never hate her.

"No, I won't," Emma replied. "You have no power over me."

"I still know your secret." He sneered.

"Not for much longer you won't." She replied.

"What do you mean? What are you going to do?" He asked with a confused and slightly scared look on his face.

"It's not going to be a secret for much longer, I'm going to tell her myself."

"Why?" He asked in utter disbelief.

"So you can't, obviously." And with that she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving the pathetic, disarmed little bully boy to his misery. She headed off in the direction she knew Ria was waiting for her.

When she reached her, the concerned brunette asked if she was ok.

"I'm fine thanks but I really need to wash my hand and we need to talk." Emma replied as she headed off back in the direction of their own cabin.

 **AN: Apologies if that last little scene made anyone uncomfortable. I wasn't entirely comfortable with it myself but that is probably only because I don't know the first thing about dicks lol.**

 **Some of you lovely people keep commenting and I love reading what you have to say. So thanks.**

 **Happy weekend, peace and love to all.**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Emma made her way back to the cabin with Regina silently following along behind her. Emma's mind was racing. A part of her couldn't believe what she had just done.

When they entered through the back door into the kitchen area, the youngster made a beeline for the sink, turning on the tap and reaching for some soap.

"Why do you need to wash your hand?" Regina asked with concern lacing her voice. "What happened with Billy?" She sat down at the breakfast bar and watched on as Emma near enough scrubbed her right hand raw. She, of course, suspected that the teen had touched something she didn't like and was worried that she might just know what that was.

"I... errr..." Emma kept her eyes focused on her task, she couldn't bring herself to look at the brunette just yet. "I did something I'm not actually very proud of."

Regina's heart sank, had Emma given in after all? Had she complied to his demands of sexual favours to keep her secret?

"Oh," said the older woman quietly, being mindful to keep her tone even. The last thing Emma needed right now was to feel like she had let her down. "It's ok Emma, I understand how it feels to be put in a position like that. I myself, have on occasion felt compelled to comply to the unsavoury demands of others. I respect your decision. I just wish to the gods that you didn't feel like you have to bear this alone."

Emma looked around in disbelief at the astonishing woman sitting close by. She thought she had gone through with it and still respected her anyway.

"No, Ree I didn't do that!" The teen quickly clarified. "I did touch it...but not like that. I... I... kinda squeezed it, but not in a nice way. I told him I would rip it off if he tried to make me touch it again. You are right, what he knows isn't worth letting him have that power over me."

A proud smile replaced Regina's previous look of worry and concern. She knew Emma could be very feisty but she hadn't expected her to do that, that was the kind of thing she herself would do.

"Did it work? Did he agree not to tell?" She asked with a smirk.

"No, he didn't," Emma replied, finally drying her hands and moving to sit opposite Regina. She gently reached out and took the brunette's hand. "But I remembered your advice, you gave me the strength to take the power back, I said I would tell you myself."

"Only tell me when you are ready." Regina said. She didn't want any forced truths from the teen, she was only interested in hearing them if the youngster was ready to share.

Emma shook her head, she didn't feel at all ready. She hadn't had long to process the situation herself but she knew she had to be the one to tell the older woman.

Thinking back, she supposed it made sense. She liked guys well enough, she usually chose to hang around with them over the girls in the homes, but she had never been sexually interested in any of them. But then the same could be said about the girls, she had never really been interested in them either.

She still felt so confused, she had often wondered if she was abnormal as she listened to the girls she shared a room with talk about which boys they fancied and muse about how big their dicks would be. She had never been interested in anyone like that, but now it seemed like Ria had ignited a fire in her soul. She was the first person she had met that made her feel anything at all in that department and now that desire had been awakened it never seemed to go away. That had to mean she was gay, right?

She couldn't put of off, she just couldn't run the risk of Billy getting in there first.

"I have to tell you. I can't let you hear it from him." She whispered, looking down at their joined hands.

"Hear what Emma? What is it that you think is so bad?" Regina asked gently.

The teen was also worried about how Ria would react to the truth, she had promised that she couldn't hate her but could that really be true? The brunette had become such an important part of her life and she was sure their connection was special but was it strong enough to endure this?

She took a deep breath and prepared herself for the possible end to her great new life.

"I... I... think that I like girls."

There it was, the truth that Emma had been so worried about, it was out.

Regina squeezed the teens hand in support, she knew how difficult it must have been for her to say those words. She had secretly watched enough television to know that in this realm sexual fluidity was largely frowned upon. She suddenly felt a flash of annoyance at this worlds ridiculous need to judge people on such trivial matters. The people of the Enchanted Forest have a much healthier view on attraction and desire. There, people are just people, nobody needs to be labelled. Everyone has the right to love and to be loved and if someone manages to find another who shares that love then everyone is happy, regardless of gender, or anything else for that matter. Hell, she had dated a female dragon for years and no one batted an eyelid. No, no one in the Enchanted Forest ever felt the need to dictate who you could or could not desire.

The brunette looked at the teen and saw her nervously looking back, waiting for her reaction.

"Oh, Emma. There's nothing wrong with that." She said with a reassuring smile.

"I don't think you understand." The teen said back with a look of total confusion on her face. "I mean I like like girls. Like I want to... touch them and... kiss them."

"I understood what you meant." Reassured the brunette.

"And... you're ok with that?" Emma asked cautiously.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"

"Be...cause its wrong, I'm a freak." The teen answered hesitantly.

"No Emma, what's wrong is that you have been led to believe that liking girls would make you a freak. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being attracted to members of the same sex.

"There isn't?"

"No. Not as far as I am concerned anyway."

Relief flooded through Emma's body. She had shared part of her secret and she hadn't been rejected. Dare she continue and tell her the rest? That there was only one woman that she would like to touch and kiss.

"Ree, I'm scared." She said instead because she was.

"Scared of what sweetheart?"

"Everything... being a freak, being different. I am already different, I'm reminded every day that I have no family. Not everyone is going to be as accepting as you, I just want to be normal." Emma said.

"Oh honey, don't be scared. Like I said, you are not a freak, you are perfect. You are right though, not everyone will be so open-minded, but that is their problem and not yours. No one should ever be made to feel less than the amazing person they are."

The youngster gave Regina an unsure look.

"Answer me this," the brunette continued, "what is normal anyway? The important thing is that you are honest about who you are and the way you feel. The first step towards happiness is accepting yourself for who you are. I know it's much easier said than done, because I hated myself for a very long time but after a lot of soul-searching and recognising and accepting certain things about myself, I don't anymore."

"What things?" The teen asked with a hint of a cheeky smile returning to her face. "What's not to like?"

Regina was pleased to see the teens smile back, she smiled back in thanks at the compliment. She also felt a little sad as she knew this version of Emma didn't know any of the atrocities she had committed at the Evil Queen. If she did, she was certain she would see plenty that she didn't like.

"Wait, are you telling me you are gay too?" Emma asked in surprise, as if suddenly putting two and two together. That wasn't what Regina had meant, she had never had a problem with her sexuality. Still, the teen had asked her a question and she wasn't going to lie to her.

"Yes. Well kind of." The older woman answered, she quickly searched for a way to explain what she meant. "I am just myself and I like who I like. Where I am from we don't feel the need to put labels on ourselves. I have loved men and women alike."

Emma's jaw dropped, could this really be true? Not only was Ria accepting her, she was saying that she liked women too. This information totally blew Emma's mind.

"You've... been with women?" The teen asked in wonderment.

"Yes, several." Regina replied honestly.

Emma's look of awe and adoration intensified as she regarded the older woman. The thought suddenly occurred to her that maybe there was the possibility that Ria could like her too. Emma was no expert but she thought that some of their interactions could be described as flirting.

No chance, she thought. There was no way on this Earth that Ria could be interested in her.

Meanwhile, spurred on by the look Emma was currently giving her, Regina made a decision. She knew she couldn't be honest with the Emma back in Storybrooke about her feelings, but she certainly could be here.

"I've actually been very much in love with one for years" She shyly admitted.

"Oh," replied Emma in surprise, she all of a sudden felt very disappointed. She was certain she had felt something between the two of them. In the haze of her growing realisation of her new found desires, she had totally forgotten to consider that Ria probably had an actual life away from camp. She clearly did as she was talking about the woman that she loved. Emma tried to shake off her disappointment and in doing so found that she was fascinated to know what type of woman Ria would love so much.

"Will you tell me about her?" She asked. "She must be pretty amazing if you have loved her for years."

"She is amazing," Regina exclaimed. Her face lit up as she thought about the object of her adoration. "I only wish you knew how truly amazing she is. She's brave and beautiful, selfless and fierce and in spite of her hard life, she is so very soft. I honestly couldn't imagine my life without her in it. I really couldn't have wished for a better Mother for my Son."

"You have a son!" Emma exclaimed in shock.

"I do, his name is Henry. He is the same age as you actually."

Emma suddenly felt bad for never asking about her life. She found that she felt even guiltier for keeping Ria from her Son.

"Where is he now, I mean, doesn't he mind you being away?" The teen enquired.

"He is with her and no, I'm sure he doesn't mind." Or at least she is sure he wouldn't when he eventually found out where she had been.

"Wait, how is it even possible you have a son? You are like what? Early 30's?" The blonde said trying to work out the logistics.

"I'm a little older than I look." Regina said with a smile.

"You could have fooled me." Emma said, again with a cheeky smile and eyebrow raise. "How long have you been together?"

"Oh, we're not together." The brunette answered with a sad, faraway look in her eyes. "We never have been, she is engaged to be married to another in fact."

Emma couldn't get her head around what she had just been told, how on Earth had it come to pass that Ria and this mystery woman shared a son when they had never been together? She didn't muse for long, she saw the sad look in her friend's eyes and desperately wanted to comfort her.

"That sounds tough." She heard herself saying, she looked at their joined hands again and was surprised to see that her thumb was rubbing circles on the back of Ria's hand, the older woman didn't pull away.

Regina was momentarily lost in her own thoughts, she had known for a long time that she cared very deeply for the version of Emma back in Storybrooke. These feelings had been proved time and time again. But it had taken the announcement of her engagement to make her finally realise that her feelings ran much deeper.

She was happy for Emma, she really was. She had looked so happy when she had told her the news, but she had sensed that something wasn't quite right. For her own peace of mind, she'd had to double check that was really the case, she had asked her outright if she was happy, if a life with Hook was what she really wanted. Emma had said yes and Regina had chosen to believe her. Above all else, she just wanted her friend to be happy.

"She seems happy, I would never take that away from her. Besides, I really don't deserve her."

With that Emma was on her feet and behind the brunette in a flash, she couldn't bear to see the usually confident woman doubt herself. She bent down and placed her head on Ria's shoulder and just like she had done days earlier, snaked her arms gently around her.

"I am certain that's not true, you are the best person I have ever met Ree. If anything, maybe she doesn't deserve you." Emma almost whispered.

A single tear fell down Regina's cheek as she contemplated the situation she had found herself in. Here she was, finally being comforted in the arms of the woman she loved, except, this Emma wasn't quite her yet. The woman she loved could never be hers.

She needed to get a hold of herself, she wasn't here for herself, she was here for Emma and right now she was allowing a hug that she really should put a stop to.

She swiftly patted the teen's hands and coughed as she stood to move away.

"Let's eat." She said, knowing full well that the promise of food would distract the teen.

 **AN: There we go team. I really hope you like this chapter, I feel like it's quite an important one.**

 **Thanks again for the follows, faves and absolutely lovely reviews.**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Emma woke up in the vault with a jump, the memories she had just received regarding the action on camp were truly mind-blowing.

She couldn't believe that so much had happened in such a short space of time, young Emma had woken up as normal and gone about her day with Regina just like the last nine days. There had been nothing to suggest that the day was going to end any differently. But different it had been and Emma suspected that its events may well turn out to be life-changing.

She had absolutely no idea how to start processing everything that had happened, least of all Regina's confession.

Could it really be true? Could Regina really be in love with her? She wished to the gods that she could talk to the other woman, she had a hundred questions about last nights revelations.

Throughout her time in self-imposed isolation, Emma had come to realise that she had always had feelings for her best friend. She knew now that there had been a spark between them right from the start. Ever since their eyes first met, even before that first nervous "Hi" was spoken on the path outside the mansion. The second she had seen the small town Mayor she had felt an instant connection, much like younger Emma had with Ria.

She had chosen not to recognise it at the time. They were supposed to hate each other, they were two mothers battling for their son's affection. They weren't supposed to be attracted to each other. But over time things had shifted and their relationship had changed, still, Emma hadn't acknowledged the shift in her feelings. Between lifting the curse, her brief stay in the Enchanted Forest, finding her feet with her new family and a rescue mission to Neverland, she hadn't had the time.

It had taken the second curse rolling into town to finally make her realise her true feelings. She watched the brunette sacrifice her hard fought for happiness so that Emma could have a good life with her son. She had looked into Regina's eyes whilst standing out on the town line and she had just known that there was no one on this earth she would ever love more. The brunette was as important to her as her son and parents. She was family.

But with the new curse came new memories, she had moved to New York and forgotten all about her life in the magical town in Maine. She had forgotten all about her new found love for the Mayor.

Upon her return, things had been very different. Regina was heartbroken over the loss of her son and finding solace in the arms of her apparent soul mate thief. Emma had chastised herself for allowing her thoughts of love for the other woman to manifest and resigned herself to the fact that it wasn't a possibility and even if Regina wasn't seeing someone, Emma knew she would never stand a chance. Plus the thought of explaining her love to her parents was utterly terrifying. She figured that the best thing for all concerned was to bury her feelings deep deep down and forge ahead trying to find something else to make her happy.

Still, the urge to protect and care for the brunette remained. When the darkness began swirling around her son's other mother, preparing to take her soul she hadn't thought twice. There was no way in this realm or any other that it was taking her. Not whilst Emma could stop it. She would do anything to protect her Queen.

Emma let out a sigh and rolled over in Regina's bed. She was feeling incredibly overwhelmed. On one hand, she felt elated, she'd had no idea that Regina was romantically interested in her. Yes, they spent a great deal of time engaged in flirty banter but that was just how they were. The possibility that Regina felt the same way about her had never crossed her mind. As far as Emma knew she was still grieving for her second lost love.

It was no good, she needed to get up. Her inactivity for the last few days was only adding to her state of unease and uncertainty. She decided she needed to head out for a run and in the interests of expediting that, poofed herself into her running kit. She was out the door with the wind in her hair within seconds.

For the past few days now, worry about her future in Storybrooke had started to creep into Emma's mind. She knew that whatever happened, she couldn't continue living the way it had been. She had tried so hard to convince herself that she was happy and she had nearly succeeded, but the glimpse of real happiness she was receiving through her new memories made her realise that she couldn't pretend anymore. As much as she desperately wanted to make everyone happy she realised that she just couldn't live her life that way. Now that she was finally being honest with herself she knew that she would eventually need to be honest with her family and her fiancé.

She had no real route in mind when she set off on her run, she just let her feet take her and after about 40mins she pulled herself to a halt in order to catch her breath and have some water. She finally looked around at her surroundings and realised she was at the docks. Yet again her feet had subconsciously taken her to where she needed to be. She couldn't put it off any longer, she needed to talk to Killian.

The thought of the upcoming conversation with the pirate almost made Emma sick with nervous energy. She realised that she felt incredibly guilty that she had inadvertently led him on, she really hadn't meant to, but he was so persistent and in the beginning, he had treated her better than many of her previous partners. She had said no to going on a date with him many times but he kept asking and that had to mean something, right? Her mother desperately wanted her to be happy and because her own happiness stemmed from her relationship with David, she assumed that finding her daughter a man would make her happy too. Upon agreeing to that first date, Emma seemed to make nearly everyone, not just Snow, ecstatic. The one person that hadn't been thrilled was Regina.

After that first date, she had found herself dragged along with everyone's expectations of true love, after all, she was the product of true love so that had to mean that she was destined for it too. No one had paused to consider that Hook might not be that love. During their time together they had been through so much, they had never really had the time to just co-exist, they had leapt from one emergency to the next.

The first time she told him she loved him was right before she had taken on the darkness, she hadn't been ready to say those words but she honestly didn't think she was coming back from that. She had thought wrong though, she had come back, with Regina's help and immediately travelled straight to hell to save his soul. After that, it was almost easy to convince herself that they shared true love because why would you do that for someone you didn't love? She realised now that it was actually guilt that led her onto that barge, after all, it was her fault he was dead in the first place. He had wanted to stay dead but her conscience couldn't bear the weight of knowing he was dead because of her.

It was all such a mess. She took a deep breath as she approached the bottom of the gangplank.

Whilst Emma had been MIA, Killian had had some time of his own to think. When he had first met her in the Enchanted Forest he had been instantly drawn to her. He could tell immediately that there was something special about her. When he had discovered that she was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming and therefore the fabled saviour he knew she was worth having on his side. When his initial attempts the woo her were rebuffed, it only made him more resolute that she would eventually be his. She was exactly what he needed, she had no idea of her worth, she was a princess with a massive inferiority complex and therefore was easy to mould to his will. It, of course, didn't hurt that she was actually quite beautiful. As time had gone on, he had actually grown to genuinely love her in his own way.

Emma wasn't the warmest person he had ever encountered, he knew from the start that she struggled with affectionate touch. She would sometimes bristle when his touch took her by surprise. She wasn't a cuddler and he was fine with that on the whole but she also shied away from his possessive public displays of affection. He didn't like that, he wanted the world to see his prize.

Over time he had begun to notice that Emma was never really taken by surprise by the Queens casual touches, in fact, he was sure he had seen her lean into them a few times. What was even more alarming was once or twice he had seen Emma reach out to the other woman, initiating the touch, she never did that with him. That observation led him to scrutinize all of Emma's interactions with the former Queen and he had been alarmed when he noticed their increasing comfort and familiarly with each other. More so recently he had also begun to see a longing in each other's gaze. He sensed that there was a mounting danger of him losing his princess if she ever figured out the Mayor's true feelings for her, so he had done the only thing he could think of to keep her, propose.

It had nearly worked. She was so nearly his wife but Regina had to go and ruin it by disappearing. After the way Emma had reacted it was clear that it wouldn't take her long to realise where her true affections lie, her absence these last few days had led him to believe that he had already lost her.

He was up on deck attempting to clear away some of the mess caused by his recent rum binge when he saw Emma step onto the deck.

"I was wondering when you were going to show yourself." He said coldly.

"Killian we need to talk."

"That we do love," he said leaning himself against the rail. "I hear from the boy that you found out where the Queen is."

"I.." she paused, she was taken aback that Regina had come into the conversation so quickly "Yes we have, she's in my past."

"I see." He said, rubbing his mouth with the back of his good hand. He was hung-over and in no mood to play nice. "It's just like that bitch to cheat when things aren't going her way."

"Excuse me?" Emma said, her temper was beginning to rise exponentially at the pirate's derogatory manner.

"I mean, it's bad form as far as I am concerned. She couldn't have you here because you are mine, so she heads off into the past to get to you before I can."

That was it, Emma was now furious and it took all of her effort not to use her magic to fire him into another plane of existence. Instead, she squared up to him, smelling the booze on his breath.

"First of all Hook, I do not now nor will I ever belong to you and second, if you talk about her like that again it won't just be your hand you are missing." She stared straight into his eyes and to her shock she saw a flash of sadness, she softened her stance and took a step back. "I came here to talk," she sighed "but all of a sudden I don't seem to be in the mood anymore. I really am sorry Killian but I can't marry you. I love her, I think I always have. Please take care of yourself." She said with an air of finality.

"Can't you see love, this is all her doing," he almost pleaded "she must be using her magic on you in the past to take you from me."

"You are wrong," Emma began to answer with total confidence, "she never has and never will need to use magic on me. Just being herself is enough." And with that, she turned and left.

She set off walking back into town and allowed her thoughts to return to camp. Over the last week and a half, she had been enjoying watching the developing love story between her younger self and her mentor. It felt natural and sweetly innocent and was truly beautiful to behold. Emma knew that her younger self was safe and cared for and she also knew that the brunette wouldn't do one single thing to hurt her.

Regina was different somehow, besides the slight physical differences, her temperament was quite different too. Emma couldn't help but wonder if this was the real Regina, beneath the mask built upon years of hurt and pain. She was soft and caring, qualities the blonde, of course, knew she possessed because she had seen them shine through in the moments when the former queen allowed her mask slip. But at camp, those qualities were pouring out of her. She was supportive and patient and exactly what Emma needed in her life.

As she walked down main street she noticed her Mother's car parked in its usual spot outside the building that housed the loft. She knew she shouldn't put it off any longer, she knew she had to face the music and go and see Snow. She hadn't seen her for days and Emma knew that she had been looking for her. She felt incredibly guilty about the fact that she had pretty much been avoiding her own mother but she had needed time to get her head around everything that had been going on, both at camp and in her own mind.

Emma pushed open the door that led to the staircase and made her way up until once again, she found herself in the hall just in front of her parents front door.

She knocked three times and waited as she heard scurrying footsteps rushing to answer. Snow opened the door and when her eyes landed on Emma she smiled in relief.

"Hi, Mom," Emma said with a hesitant look towards the short haired brunette.

"Emma, I have been worried sick!" Snow exclaimed whilst throwing her arms around her. Emma flinched a little but didn't disengage, she knew her mother was a hugger and she had been absent for several days. "Come in and sit down, I'll make some tea. Where on Earth have you been?" Emma moved over to the table and sat herself down as Snow busied herself preparing them both a drink.

"I've been..." she paused, she didn't really know what to say. "I needed some time to think." She eventually answered.

"Time to think about what honey?" Snow asked with concern in her eyes.

"Me." Replied Emma. "I needed some time to think about my life."

"OK." Snow replied tentatively, she paused her tea making but didn't turn around. Ordinarily, a statement like that would lead Snow White into a tailspin of panic leading to a hundred questions but she knew whatever was going on was big enough to make Emma feel like she had to hide from the world for a while and she really wanted to be a supportive mother.

Snow had genuinely been worried sick about her daughter. It pained her to see her so uncertain and lost without her best friend. Truth be told she had noticed them getting closer and closer and had even wondered if there was something going on between them but nothing had ever been said and Emma had continued to date Hook. When Emma had agreed to marry the pirate she had told herself that it must all have been in her imagination. Emma wouldn't agree to marry someone she didn't love with all of her heart and soul, would she?

She was also still a little upset that the wish had taken Regina and not her. She was Emma's mother, if anyone should have been chosen to care for her, it should have been her. But maybe Blue was right, maybe it had happened this way for a reason.

She looked back over at her first born and could see she was lost in her own thoughts. She decided to test the waters and try and coax an answer out of her as to what had been bothering her. She suspected it had something to do with Regina so she started there.

"How is Regina getting on?" She asked with an airy tone. Emma suddenly smiled the biggest smile Snow thought she had ever seen on her daughters face.

"She is doing great actually."

"Oh?" Asked Snow, hoping Emma would elaborate.

"That's kinda part of what I needed to think about. Look, Mom, I know you are hurt that the wish didn't choose you, but I think there was a good reason for that."

"Honestly Emma, I was upset but I think you may be right about it being for a good reason."

Part of the reason Emma had been avoiding Snow in the first place was that she knew she was hurt and up until recently she hadn't had any answers to her mother's questions regarding why Regina was chosen over her. Now she thought she finally understood.

"As hard as this may be to hear, I don't think I could have handled your love back then, when I was sixteen I was confused and really angry with the world. I wouldn't have been capable of accepting your love."

"But you were capable of accepting Regina's?" She asked delicately. Emma sighed, she suspected that any attempt to explain what was happening at camp would only cause further upset, little did she know that her mother already had an inkling.

"Her love is different, it's not parental, it's... I needed a friend, I needed someone to listen to me and make me feel valued. I was lost and confused and I needed someone to help me see everything would be ok."

"And she was able to do that?"

"She is doing that... she is helping me see who I really am and helping me be less scared of that." Emma replied. Snow was confused, she didn't understand what Emma meant.

"Scared? Why would you be scared of the person you really are?"

"Honestly?.." Emma asked. She wasn't sure that her mom could handle the truth.

"Yes, please." Replied Snow.

"Because I'm scared the real me will be a disappointment to you." She answered with her eyes full of tears.

"Oh, my sweet sweet girl." Snow started, bringing herself over to sit in the chair next to Emma. "You couldn't be a disappointment to me if you tried. I waited twenty-eight years to meet you, I may well have been cursed but I knew there was something huge missing from my life. That something was you. You are my daughter and you are perfect, no matter what you might think. There is honestly no chance you could ever be a disappointment to me."

Emma folded into her mother arms, something she still wasn't used to but in this moment it felt so right. She held on tight as a un-policed sob escaped her mouth.

"Is there something that you want to tell me honey?" Snow asked gently.

"Mom, I don't want to marry Hook. I don't love him. I.. I love someone else." Emma replied in a timid voice.

"I know honey," was Snow's simple answer. "I know, don't worry, she'll be back soon."

Snow held on tight as she soothed her crying child.

 **AN: I hope you liked this, it was actually tricky to write as I had essentially been ignoring older Emma for a few weeks.**

 **As ever, thanks for the follows, favourites and comments. Last week's comments were truly lovely.**

 **Happy weekend and Eid Mubarak to all my lovely friends celebrating this weekend. I'm off to a beer festival now, laters lovely people.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

After talking to Snow and finally openly confessing to her feelings, Emma felt different. She felt lighter almost and free. She realised that she had been hiding down in the vault. Not from her family, but from herself. By being down there she had been avoiding facing up to her own insecurities. She had come a long way in the last few years, that was for sure but feelings of abandonment and worthlessness are hard to overcome. Especially after twenty-eight years of struggling with them. She knew her family loved her, they told her all the time, but still, sometimes it was hard to shake the feeling that it was conditional. All previous small glimpses of love in Emma's life had been entirely conditional, why would this be any different?

Through experiencing the memories of her younger self's time with the former Queen she had felt, for the absolute first time what it was like to be loved unconditionally. To be accepted for who she truly was and to be actively encouraged to never be anything less. She felt liberated and nothing short of invincible.

After leaving the loft she had vowed there would be no more hiding, she needed to return to her life and start living it in a way that would make her happy. She also needed to see her son. She pulled her phone out of her back pocket and sent out a quick message.

 **Hey kid. Re-entered the world of the living, dinner at my place? Got something to tell you.**

With that little job done she headed over to her house. She hadn't been there since the morning she had argued with Hook all that time ago. She, of course, knew he was back onboard the Jolly Roger, Henry had told her that he had collected his things, plus a few others besides, and headed off to the docks, leaving the door wide open and swinging in the wind. Thankfully though this was Storybrooke and everyone looked out for one another, especially their Royalty, so someone had simply gone in, locked the door and given the keys they had found on the front steps to Henry.

She stood at the bottom of those steps and looked up at the house, her house. A house that he had picked but she loved all the same. She briefly wondered if she wanted to continue living here, so much had happened in the short time she had owned it. It had been her Dark One lair and then her and Killian's love nest. Now it just her house. The house where she hoped to create new memories of family meals and laughter. Yes, she thought, she still wanted to live here.

If you had asked Emma Swan ten years ago if she would ever own a house, her answer would have been an emphatic no. She couldn't ever imagine wanting to be tied anywhere. But here was different, here it didn't feel like she was tied down. She had her family and now finally, she was ready to live her life the way she wanted.

She opened the front door and as she entered she decided that a little redecorating was in order. With a smile on her face, she conjured a mini white tornado at her feet that slowly grew exponentially, eventually engulfing the whole house. A few minutes later, after the smoke had cleared Emma laughed out loud at the sight of her new living space filled with bright colours and quirky but comfortable looking furniture.

The kitchen was full of new and exciting appliances and the best part was that her magic had modified the back of the house so that it was now one large glass wall facing out across the backyard and offering a perfect view of the sea beyond. She had even included a balcony and a mezzanine level somewhat reminiscent of the cabin at camp. Pleased with her handwork she went into the kitchen and started to prepare dinner for her son.

Two hours later the front door swung open with the enthusiasm only a sixteen-year-old boy can deliver as the whirlwind that is her son flew into the house.

"I got your text," he said engulfing her in one of his now trademark bone-crushing hugs "I'm glad you decided to 're-enter the world of the living'." As he said the last part of the sentence he had used air quotation marks and even attempted to raise the pitch of his voice to imitate his blonde mother. She laughed as she punched him playfully on the top of his arm. "I like what you've done with the place! It's much more you." He said smiling back.

As she had started cooking earlier in the afternoon she had allowed her mind to wander to this evenings conversation. What was she going to say to her son? She knew wholeheartedly that he wouldn't have a problem with the fact that she was into women. He had several friends that had come out and he had never batted an eyelid. She was however concerned how he would react when he found out which woman, in particular, she was interested in. Would he be mad or even worse, disgusted? Emma knew he was very protective of his other mother and didn't think many worthy of her. Would she be worthy? She guessed she would find out.

"What we ordering then? Pizza? Chinese?" He asked heading into the kitchen to retrieve the ever-present take-out menus his blonde mother always kept on hand. As he entered he registered the smell of home cooking and turned to face Emma in shock. "Holy shit, did you cook!?"

Emma laughed as she replied, "Watch your language young man, your mother will kill me if she gets wind that I am letting you swear the place up and yes, I cooked."

"What did you cook?" He asked in awe.

"Your favourite, your mom's secret recipe lasagne." She answered smugly.

"She taught you that? I can't believe it!" He exclaimed with a twinkle in his eye. He knew very well how protective his brunette mother was of her secret recipe.

"She did, come, let's eat." She said gesturing to the table. She served out two portions and brought them over to the table. As Henry took his first mouthful he let out an almost obscene moan as Emma laughed in response.

"This is amazing Ma, it's exactly right. I've missed this so much, Grandma is a great cook, but I do miss Mom' s cooking."

"I know you miss her, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, she'll be back soon." He said before shovelling another forkful into his mouth. "So what did you want to tell me?"

"I... erm I don't know where to start. Ok, so I've been doing a lot of thinking and I've come to realise some stuff."

"Ok," he said encouraging her with a smile. "What stuff? Does it have anything to do with the new colour scheme?"

"Yeah, kinda. I, well I realised that I don't love Killian. I've ended my relationship with him. I guess the new decor was my way of signifying that things have changed in my life. I've changed, or at least I've changed the way I want to live my life. I want to be more... more myself."

"That sounds great Ma, I love who you are." Henry said whilst reaching out to give her hand a supportive squeeze. Emma looked at her son, looking back at her with nothing but love and support. She was so proud of the man he was becoming. She felt like she could tell him anything right in that moment.

"There is a bit more I need to tell you." She said slightly hesitantly.

"Go on, you can tell me anything." He said as if he had just read her mind.

"I realised that I didn't love Killian because I was already in love with someone else..." She admitted.

"Who?" He asked excitedly. Emma was a little taken aback by his sudden, avid curiosity. "Who Ma?" He asked again.

"Your other Mother." She finally said.

There was a moment of silence as the admission hung in the air between them. Emma was on the verge of panic when Henry eventually responded. With a massive cheer and a fist pump he jumped up and rounded the table, grabbing his shocked mom so hard he nearly knocked her off her seat.

"Finally!" He said as he held her tight "I'm so proud of you." Then he laughed a deep and heartfelt laugh, Emma couldn't help but ask him what was so funny. "You finally caught up with the rest of us."

"What do you mean by that?" She questioned.

"I mean the whole town has known for years you two are in love. I'm so glad you eventually figured it out. Mom is going to be thrilled when she gets back."

"She... I..." Emma struggled for words, she of course already knew how Regina felt about her, she had confessed her feelings to her younger self but she hadn't thought for one minute that Henry would be aware of them. "You know how she feels?" She asked with a questioning look.

"Yeah, we have talked about it." He answered casually.

"And, you don't mind? I mean, you wouldn't mind if we were together? I mean, you know as a couple?" Emma's nerves were setting her off on a ramble.

"Ma, relax. Of course, I wouldn't mind. In fact, I would be really happy for the both of you."

"You would?" She asked, literally in disbelief at her son's easy acceptance.

"Yes." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Emma released a huge sigh of relief. Everything was falling into place, all she needed now was for Regina to get her ass back to the present.

"God's I wish I could talk to her, let her know I feel the same way, you know?" She mused.

"Actually, I think I may know a way that you can."

Emma listened on with great interest and Henry started to explain what he had found out during the research he had launched himself into upon hearing about his brunette mother recent fate.

* * *

The following morning on camp played out like every other, they hadn't talked much on their run but every time they had it had been Emma asking the older woman questions about her mystery lady love and son.

"What does she look like?" The teen threw in after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"Who?" The brunette had replied in an attempt to give herself a few more seconds to think of an answer. She didn't want to lie to Emma but she was worried that after only a few questions, it would become quite obvious that she was describing someone very similar to her present company. She didn't really think that would help when it came to Emma's ever more obvious crush on her.

"You know who, is she tall or short? What colour is her hair?" The teen prompted.

"Well, she is just a little taller than me." She said, that was a safe answer surely? That could describe nearly anyone.

"That's not hard" interrupted Emma.

"Hey, I'm not that short!" The brunette countered, gently shoving the teen with her elbow.

"Well, you are just a bit shorter than me and I'm hardly a giant." The teen mocked, using her own phrasing against her, "Carry on."

"I'm trying too, you keep interrupting me! Her hair is long and blonde..."

Emma raised her eyebrows and looked over at the older woman, giving her a cocky grin as if she had just caught her out on something.

"Oh, you mean like mine?" She questioned with a cheeky twinkle in her eye. Regina sighed and picked up the pace to avoid any more of Emma's questions.

That afternoon they decided that neither of them fancied pitching out on a long forest hike, instead, they decided to stay close to the cabin and make use of one of the canoes. The lake its self was a reasonable size and paddling from one side to the other took about half an hour at a steady pace.

They left Jasper behind to play with the kids by the water's edge and asked one of the instructors to keep an eye on him. Ria knew that he wasn't the biggest fan of long boat trips as he struggled to stay still for long periods of time.

They headed out with Emma in the front and Ria in the back so she could steer. As with most things Emma picked it a good paddle technique almost instantly and within twenty minutes she had mastered a perfect J stroke meaning that Regina didn't need to do much in the way of course correction. They fell into a perfect rhythm and naturally started picking up the pace. They got faster and faster until they were pretty much going flat out. Just before they reached the other side they both stopped paddling and Regina steered the canoe to a graceful stop against the jetty.

"That was fun!" Emma said, turning back to smile at the older woman. "Although my arms ache now, are you sure you were paddling?" She asked with a wink.

"Hey!" Regina said in mock offence, "I was busy steering, someone's gotta keep you straight."

"I doubt you are going to manage that somehow." Muttered Emma, more to herself than anyone else but Regina had heard her none the less.

"Oh, hardy har har." She responded whilst tying the back painter onto the nearest cleat before jumping out of the canoe with practised ease.

"You coming out or not?" She asked, offering out her hand for the teen to steady herself.

"I thought I already did." Emma replied with a shit eating grin.

"Oh you are hilarious, you've been out for a day and you've already mastered the gay one-liner, bravo!"

"What can I say, I'm a natural." Replied Emma with a somewhat Rumple-esque flourish.

"You're an idiot," Regina said affectionately, "come on, stretch your legs." With that, the teen, with quite a bit of help off her mentor, struggled out of the canoe.

They walked along the jetty until they were able to step off onto the land where the older woman led Emma off down a pathway heading away from the water. After a few minutes, the path opened out into a large clearing containing fixed benches, all facing a central point. In the middle, there was a large area of scorched earth.

"What is this place?" Emma asked with genuine curiosity. She had never seen anything like it.

"This is where the kids come for the campfire."

"It's cool!" Emma exclaimed. "Can we have a fire one night?"

"Sure." Replied the brunette, smiling at the teen's enthusiasm.

They spent about half an hour exploring and laughing whilst jumping from one bench to the next, racing each other to the middle where they collapsed together in a heap.

They laid there for a while, a tangle of limbs and bodies taking deep breaths as they laughed and held each onto other. It felt normal and natural as if they had been made to fit together in this way. Emma's giggles slowly turned to content hums as Regina's fingers absentmindedly drew patterns on her forearm. It was so easy to fall into these casual touches now. The brunette hadn't even registered she was doing it.

"Thanks for bringing me here." Emma said softly, "It's nice."

"You are welcome, but we should be heading back," the brunette said, breaking the spell "come on, I will show you how to steer if you like."

As they started back across the lake it only took Emma a few minutes to get used to steering, it wasn't particularly difficult as Ria was an excellent paddler and her knowledge kept them moving in a dead straight line. Emma found that she liked sitting in the back much better, as it gave her a great view of the older woman's ass and she found herself drifting off into her own thoughts as she watched the spray from the water hit her companions arms as she flexed her toned muscles as she paddled. Again they fall into a perfect rhythm and with every perfectly timed paddle stroke, the canoe surged forward. The rhythm and the view were almost driving Emma mad with desire and as they continued to thrust through the water Ria's arms were not the only thing getting wet.

Emma squeezed her thighs together, trying to find some relief but there was little to be found. She could no longer seem to help the reaction she had to the other woman's presence. The more time they were spending together the more intense her desire became. In an attempt to distract her wondering mind she ploughed all of her energy into her paddle strokes, increasing their pace and therefore ensuring this torture would end sooner.

As they drew closer to the home shore Emma's reverie was somewhat ruined by a very tense looking figure standing out on the end of the jetty.

"Ria!" The figure shouted with obvious anger.

"Is that Hannah?" Emma asked, "She doesn't look very happy."

"You are right, she doesn't." Regina answered, wondering what had the camp director so cross. Neither of them had acknowledged her, so she shouted again.

"MARIA GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE NOW!"

"Oh shit, you just got full named. I think you are in trouble." Emma said laughing.

"We better go and see what she wants." The brunette stated, signalling the teen to turn the canoe. Emma pushed the stern of the boat around until they were aiming straight for the irate looking woman. As they neared the jetty Hannah gave them time to tie up as she crouched down next to them.

"Would you care to tell me why it is I have had some kids parents on the phone demanding to know how we allowed their son to be physically assaulted by another camper?"

"That little shit!" Exclaimed Emma "So he tries to get me to suck him off and when his rapey little plan fails, he calls his mommy to whinge like a little bitch."

"Shut up you." Hannah snapped. "You will get your chance to talk later and for your information, he actually called his father who just happens to be the Sheriff's deputy."

"Don't talk to her like that!" Regina snapped back. "Did you not hear what she just said Hannah? That kid was trying to blackmail sexual favours out of her! And I couldn't give a shit who his dad is, the kid is a fucking prick!"

Hannah looked at Ria in shock, she had never spoken to her like that in all the years they had known each other. Her words finally sunk in.

"Wait, sexual favours? What the hell has been going on?"

"He found out I'm gay and tried to make me suck him off to keep his mouth shut," Emma stated simply.

"WHAT? Is what you are telling me one hundred percent the truth?" She asked them both with questioning eyes.

"It's hundred percent the truth." The pair chorused back.

"I'm sorry Emma, Ree, why didn't you come to me with this? You know I don't tolerate bullying at my camp. We could have sorted this out without getting to the point where people are threatening to press charges."

"Press charges?" Emma asked quietly.

"That's what they were saying earlier, I said I would investigate."

"We can't let that happen, he was the one in the wrong, not Emma." Ria said to her oldest friend.

"I'll do my best to sort this out. Go up to the cabin and I'll come round when I have news." Stated the director as she stood and started walking back towards land.

The pair quickly stowed the canoe and made there way back to the cabin, it was very clear that the brunette was still upset over their discussion with Hannah. As time had progressed on camp, Regina had noticed more and more that the calming effect Ria's memories had on her at the beginning were wearing off. She entered first, opening the door with such force that the handle dented the wall behind it. She made a bee-line to the fridge and opened the door to fish out two bottles of water. She held one up for Emma then kicked the fridge door shut so hard that it bounced open again. She took a deep breath before pushing it again, this time with less force.

Emma was shocked to see her in this state, she had never seen the brunette this mad before and it scared her a little. She didn't know what to do, so she went with what had become their normal. She approached her from behind, reaching out to put one hand onto her shoulder, when Ria didn't shirk her away she took another step and placed her forehead against her other shoulder.

"You are scaring me." She whispered almost silently. Immediately the other woman's stance changed, she sighed as she fought for her body to relax a little. She instantly felt guilty for scaring the teen. She could only imagine the anger and temper fits she had been exposed to as a child growing up in and out of foster homes and she didn't want to imagine the outcome of them. She would never do anything to hurt the teen and right now she was, by exhibiting her anger. She purposely turned slowly to face the blonde, she didn't want to startle her with any quick movements. When she finally stood face to face with her, Emma's eyes were looking down towards the ground.

"Hey," Regina said softly, bringing her hand up to the teen's chin to encourage her to look up. "I'm so sorry, I'm not mad with you. Emma, please look at me."

Emma slowly raised her eyes to comply with the request. When her eyes found those of the older woman she saw soft caring orbs looking back at her. She instantly relaxed and smiled whilst they continued to look at each other for a few more seconds revelling in an unspoken conversation of love and comfort. Regina was the first to look away, staring into those eyes she could almost let herself believe she was looking into those same eyes eighteen years in the future.

"Thanks for sticking up for me back there." Emma said softly.

"Any time."

"I know, but still. It means something you know? No one ever has before."

"Well, they should have." The brunette replied vehemently.

"What happens if I lose my place at camp? What happens if I have to leave? Fuck, what will happen if they press charges?" Emma asked in an almost panicked state, tears starting to fall from her eyes.

"They won't press charges, not worry. You won't have to leave, you are staying right here with me. I promise." Regina soothed, taking the blonde into her arms. She perhaps shouldn't have promised the youngster but she was a woman of means in any time period. She was adamant that none of those things were going to happen. "Come." She said, leading Emma to the couch where they both sat down, Emma curling into her like a small child.

They stayed like that for a long time, just being together, supporting each other in a hundred un-nameable ways. Emma felt stronger in Regina's arms, if she moved away she was worried she may crumble into a million pieces.

Sometime later there was a soft knock at the door, neither of them wanted to move to answer it. Luckily they didn't have to as seconds later Hannah pushed the door open and stepped inside. She spotted them almost immediately and headed over to sit on a nearby chair. Neither Emma nor Regina said anything, but they did sit up and separate just a little.

"I just got off the phone with the delightful Deputy Morgan," Hannah said, breaking the silence.

"And?" The brunette prompted.

"And he has agreed not to press charges, I might have gone a little over the top and suggested that Emma was going to file some charges of her own. We agreed that it wouldn't look very good for a Deputy's son to be involved in such a case." Regina looked over at Emma with a smile on her face and was surprised to see that she hadn't reacted at all to the news.

"Did you hear that Emma?" She asked gently before turning her attention back to the other woman in the room. "Thank you Hannah! Thank you so much. I'm so sorry that we didn't come to you first."

"That's ok, I think I owe you an apology too. I'm sorry that I jumped to the wrong conclusion Emma. I hope that you can forgive me?" Hannah said sincerely. Emma felt numb, she had barely recognised that she was being spoken too. But she did appreciate the apology.

"Yeah, sure. It's fine. Thanks for helping to sort it all out, Hannah." Emma said distractedly, she was feeling entirely overwhelmed and exhausted by the events of the last few hours. She needed some time alone, to process her emotions so she swiftly excused herself and headed up to her room.

* * *

A few hours later, after relaxing shower and a nap Emma was laying in her bed thinking about how close she had come, yet again to losing her time here at camp. Ria was a huge part of her life now and she could no longer imagine a life without her being a part of it. The thought of not being able to see her all the time terrified her. She quickly pushed those thoughts aside, determined to concentrate on the here and now. Ria was like an addiction, just the thought of her was enough to ignite her soul, she was everywhere, she was everything.

The teen's mind flashed back to earlier, the pair of them laying together in the sun. She thought of the paddle back across the lake, the perfect view of the brunette's ass in front of her. Then she remembered the stolen image of her beautiful naked body after just stepping out of the shower. How her erect nipples glistened with moisture. She couldn't help herself, she hadn't really even registered that her hand had snuck underneath her t-shirt. It quickly found one of her rock hard nipples and started to experiment with how it felt touching it in different ways, first she was gentle, poking it a few times just to get used to the sensation. She then tried rubbing it and pinching it gently between two fingers, she liked that.

She wondered how Ria liked to be touched, would she like what she was currently doing? As she explored that thought she got a little carried away and squeezed harder, harder than she thought she would like but to her surprise, she did. A lot. She squeezed again, even harder this time. As she did she felt a rush of wetness escape from between her legs. She moved her hand down to explore that wetness.

She had, of course, experimented with touching herself in the past but she had never really been that successful at bringing herself pleasure. As she had never been sexually attracted to anyone before she had lacked the mental stimulation to get anywhere near climax. This time was much different though. Thinking about Ria had her so worked up that the slightest touch between her legs was almost too much to bear. She placed her middle finger to the right of her clit and held it still as she twitched her hips ever so slightly. It was enough to drive her wild.

She knew she needed to be discreet, if you were ever caught masturbating in a group home you would never live it down. So she quietly and with the smallest movements possible continued to explore as she brought herself ever closer to bliss.

Downstairs Regina had made them both some dinner. She figured that the blonde had had enough time for a nap and would probably be hungry. Once it was all ready and the table set she started to climb the stairs up to the bedrooms. As Emma had been in such a rush to get away earlier, she hadn't realised that she hadn't closed her bedroom door properly. Regina saw it was slightly ajar and pushed it gently open to reveal the young woman lying on her side facing away from the door. She wasn't making a sound but the brunette could see that she was shaking ever so slightly. Assuming Emma was once again crying she took a step towards the side of her bed and said "Oh honey, it's ok. Don't cry."

Emma had been too far gone in her pleasure to notice the slight creak as the door opened behind her. She jumped as she heard the voice of the woman currently filling her mind sound out so close to her side. She jerked her head around in shock just as she crested on the peak of the first orgasm she had ever experienced all the while looking deeply into Regina's beautiful brown eyes.

The brunette had realised far too late that she had totally misread the situation. She had thought the blonde was upset and in need of comfort. She had no idea she was actually masturbating. She had been so quiet and barely moving. If she had thought for one second that was what she was doing she would have walked away and allowed her her moment in private. She made a move to turn away but the blonde clearly had other ideas. Emma wanted to feel as close as possible to the other woman in that moment so she quickly moved her hand out from between her legs and grabbed onto her arm for dear life, Regina tried to move away but the teen held onto her as if she was a life preserver in a stormy sea. She should not be here right now, she had just accidentally crossed a pretty huge line.

The teens breathing slowly evened out and she eventually let go of the other woman's arm. Regina lifted her arm up to the light, mesmerised by the wetness Emma's desire had left on her skin. As the brunettes brow furrowed, Emma immediately assumed it was in shock and disgust at the act she had just been caught in. That wasn't the reason though, Regina wasn't disgusted by the teen's actions at all. After all masturbating was a totally normal function of life. Her reaction was because she was mortified that she had read the situation so wrong.

"Oh my god, oh my god! Ria I am so sorry!" Emma said desperately.

"No, no no Emma I'm sorry. I thought you were crying. I shouldn't be in here. I thought you were crying and I just wanted to comfort you. I need to leave." And with that, she made a bolt for the door leaving a very confused and hurt teenager in her wake.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15.

Emma watched on helplessly as the brunette fled from her room. She wanted to say something, to call her back and explain, but what was there to say? The brunette had thought she was upset, she was only trying to comfort her. Instead, she had gotten a front row seat to her deviance.

The teen rolled onto her stomach and growled with frustration as she heard the door downstairs bang shut. The older woman had left the cabin. Years of pain and hurt rushed to the forefront of Emma's mind as she yet again felt like she had been left all alone in the world, but this time she felt like it was all her own doing.

She punched the mattress and screamed at her inability to control herself. She had tried so hard these last few days not to give in to her urges. Her body had literally been screaming at her to relieve the tension, to touch herself in the places that would tingle every time she thought of the brunette. In the end, she hadn't been able to resist, the near constant ache between her legs had slowly and surely increased to a deafening crescendo of need. She needed to touch, needed to explore the natural reactions her young body was having whenever she was near the brown-eyed beauty.

She finally stopped beating up the bed when her knuckles started to hurt from friction burns created by the relentless beating she was giving her mattress. She rolled onto her back and held her hands up so she could assess the damage. As well as the soreness of the burns she could feel her own essence, still clinging to her fingers, starting to dry and tighten her skin. She remembered how the older woman had stared intently at her own arm where she had touched her with her cum covered digits.

Emma's shame suddenly hit her like a tidal wave, without conscious thought she found herself in motion and heading for the en-suite where she pulled off her clothes and jumped into a cold shower.

She stayed under the shower stream for a few minutes before she noticed that she was shivering. The whirling cyclone of emotion in her mind had distracted her for long enough for her already pale skin to turn translucent, revealing the veins that ran all over her thin body.

The cold water had shifted Emma's mood, she was no longer mad, now she was feeling really sad. She shut off the water and grabbed a towel, quickly drying herself off and throwing on the nearest clean clothes she could find. She felt sad and heavy and because of that, she couldn't bring herself to leave her room, instead she crawled back under the duvet and allowed herself to cry as she curled into a tight ball.

It wasn't long before she felt the mattress dip again, she held her breath waiting to see what her visitor was going to do. Seconds later she felt a wet nose nudge its way under the covers to find her face. When the nose had found its mark, the owner quickly sniffed a few times before a tongue came out to lick away her tears.

She couldn't help but laugh and pull the covers down to welcome the lovable fluff ball into her arms. He settled himself by her side, pressed in close so she could feel his warmth and love.

After a little time and some more gentle crying, Emma eventually calmed enough to talk to her very welcome bedmate.

"Oh Jasper," she said as she buried her face into the fur of his neck. "I've really fucked it up this time."

He suddenly started to wriggle free and jumped down off the bed.

"You are going now too I suppose." She said sadly, expecting him to just walk away. But instead, he walked around the bed towards the door then stopped and took a very gentle hold of Emma's sleeve, carefully pulling her arm.

"What? You want me to come with you?" She questioned. As if in response, he pulled a little bit harder. "Ok buddy. I'm coming, I'm coming."

He let go and waited for her to stand up and walk towards him. When she did he began to lead her down the stairs and towards the cabin door.

They exited the cabin and Jasper began to lead the teen down a path she had never noticed before. After a few narrow twists and turns through the trees, it opened out into a small clearing, revealing a hot and sweaty Ria sitting on a bench facing away from the blonde.

After leaving Emma's room Regina desperately needed to get some space between herself and the young blonde, truth be told she was freaking out. She should have been more careful. She should not have entered the teen's personal space like that, in her mind her intrusion during a personal, sexual act was unforgivable.

Her instincts told her that she needed to do something physical, she had discovered lately that when her body was in motion, it was much easier to think and process her feelings. She contemplated going for a run but something in her brain stopped her. She needed to be away from the young blonde for a while but part of her didn't want to leave her alone. Everyone else may leave her but she wouldn't.

Instead of running she had been unconsciously drawn to the woodpile, Emma had asked for a fire earlier in the day had she not? She set about selecting the logs that she knew she could split and after she had found a load she set them down next to the chopping block and headed over to the combination locked secure shed that housed the axes. Once she had selected her favourite she headed back to the block and set to work. She quickly found comfort in the repetition of placing a log and swinging the axe with all of her might. With her body occupied, she found her mind drifting to other things.

When she herself was just a few months older than the teen in her care, she had been married off to a man twice her age. He may well have been the King, but he was not a gentle man. On the night of their wedding, he had taken her innocence in a less than caring way.

The repercussions of that act were still being felt by Regina, even now. She would still sometimes wake up in a cold sweat, having been taken back to that night in her dreams. As the Evil Queen she had styled herself to exude sexuality as a way to control the people around her, but as much as that version of herself loved to profess that she 'liked it rough', she really didn't. She still, all these years later had huge anxieties about sex and intimacy. He had gifted her that when he had carelessly taken her virtue.

Because of his act of cruelty she had learned a long time ago that the period of sexual discovery as a young adult was very important and she had absolutely no business being involved as Emma explored that side of herself. That was why she had always hated Baelfire for his role in the utter decimation of Emma's innocence and that was why she was feeling so angry with herself.

Thwack... Thwack... Thwack

She reached down to collect the next log for splitting and realised that she had made her way through her selected pile in record time, she swung the axe into the block and sat herself down on the nearby bench, only then noticing she was covered in sweat.

After finding her, Jasper wasted no time and made a bee-line for his master, circling her a few times before nudging her elbow. She took the hint and raised her arm so that he could jump onto the bench and place his head on her lap.

She knew she had left him inside the cabin to look after Emma so she suspected that the teen wouldn't be far behind him. She lifted her head to look around and it didn't take long for her suspicions to be confirmed. Their eyes met as Emma made her way towards her.

"Hey." Regina offered out first, accompanying the word with an uncertain half smile.

"Hey," Emma replied, equally as unsure. "May I sit?"

"Of course." Said the brunette, nodding her head towards the bench next to her.

They both sat in heavy silence for a few minutes. They had so much to say to each other but neither knew where to begin. In the end, it was Emma that spoke first.

"What have you been doing?" She asked, even though the answer was somewhat obvious.

"I've been chopping wood for a fire if you still want one that is?"

Emma was really taken aback by the brunettes answer. She was shocked to realise that even after what had happened earlier, the older woman was still trying to make her time at camp the absolute best experience of her life.

"I... Yes, I do, I'd love that." She replied distractedly, she was so confused about everything. Her feelings, Ria's reaction, she couldn't even begin to get her head around it all. She needed to talk but didn't know what to say, eventually, she asked "Why did you run away? Are you angry with me?" in a small and vulnerable voice.

Regina had been so focused on getting some distance between her and the teen, that she had forgotten to consider how the teen must be feeling right now. Of course, Emma's default was to assume she was the one in the wrong. Regina wanted to kick herself, she was handling this all wrong.

"No, not for one second. I'm not mad with you, I'm sorry if I made you feel that way."

"So you don't hate me... for doing what I was doing?" Emma asked in a small voice.

"Of course not, what you do in your own time, in your own personal space is your business. I'm so sorry I intruded."

"But I shouldn't have been doing that, it's... it's wrong and I'm ashamed that you saw me."

"Emma, it's ok, don't be ashamed. You're a teenager, your hormones are all over the place. It's totally natural to want to explore the way your body feels."

"Is it?"

"Yes." Regina answered honestly.

Emma looked back at the older woman in shock. "You mean it normal to feel this way?... I don't really understand what's been happening lately, my whole body has been aching for... something. I'm not really sure what but I felt like I needed to touch myself... have you ever felt like that?" she asked in a small hesitant voice.

Regina briefly hesitated before answering the question. She was brought up not to discuss such matters but she knew that Emma needed some reassurance right now that she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Sometimes, there is nothing wrong with masturbating Emma. Nearly everyone does it and if they say they don't then they are probably lying." She gently reached out at touched the blonde's arm "I could never hate you for doing something that is entirely natural." She said as she punctuated her words with a reassuring squeeze.

Emma looked up at the incredible woman that was step by step helping her start and feel ok about who she is and how she felts. She was relieved to learn that the problem wasn't with what she had been caught doing. There clearly was a problem though and she was more than curious to find out what had spooked the brunette.

"Ok, so if you have no problem with what I was doing then why did you run?"

"Because I'm angry with myself. I messed up and misread the situation. As much as it is totally fine for you to do that, it isn't something I should be involved in. If I had known that's what you were doing I would never have entered your room. It was a private moment and I shouldn't have been there."

Upon hearing the older woman's explanation she could sense that what she was telling her was totally true. She wasn't disgusted with her after all. The teen made a decision there and then, if the older woman could be honest with her then there was no reason why she shouldn't afford her the same courtesy. She had been holding back before, she understood full well why she had been feeling the way she had. Her body was aching for the brunette. She had liked her being there whilst she had touched herself. She had been enjoying it very much on her own, lost in her thoughts but it had been the brunette's presence that had pushed her over the edge.

"What if I wanted you to be there?" She asked tentatively.

"Pardon?" Regina questioned, having not expected those words to come out of Emma's mouth.

"I enjoyed it. I liked having you there, looking into your eyes when..." she faltered as she was unsure of the correct terminology, "when it happened."

A shocked "Oh" was all that managed to fall out of Regina's mouth before the teen continued to talk.

"I was thinking about you anyway, it just... it felt right you know? Having you there."

Regina was absolutely dumbfounded by what Emma was saying to her. She just sat looking at her in disbelief. She had known that the youngster had a crush on her, it had become obvious but she had no idea how far it had progressed. She had been trying to walk a very fine line, attempting to show the teen enough affection to help her see she was worthy of love, without giving her the wrong idea. It would seem she had failed, she had clearly let too much of her love for her shine through.

Emma took her shocked silence to mean that she wasn't in total disagreement and began to move closer to the brunette. She gently took hold of the hand closest to her and linked their fingers together. When the other woman still didn't protest she placed her head down upon her shoulder.

Regina's mind was in utter turmoil. She was absolutely adamant that nothing was going to happen between them in this time, it couldn't. But she herself was only human, a human that had also been badly mistreated and starved of affection. Sitting right next to her was Emma Swan, the woman she loved in the future and here she was showing her the much craved for attention she had dreamed of.

Emma shifted and Regina remained frozen as she felt the teen nuzzle into her neck. Before she could pull back she felt Emma tilt her head and brush her lips against her cheek. It was so gentle and sweet and very caring. The thought of putting a stop to it almost broke her heart.

"You are so beautiful." Emma whispered into her ear with such sincerity.

Still, Regina couldn't battle her way out of her thoughts, she knew that she needed to step up and do the right thing. This was all her fault after all, if only she hadn't been so affectionate maybe this whole situation could have been avoided.

Who was she kidding, she could see now that from the moment they had met on the balcony, this moment was inevitable. Emma had never had a positive relationship with an adult, couple that with the fact that she was starting to take baby steps into sexual discovery. It was almost inevitable that things had gone this way. Regina had to tell herself that Emma probably would have developed feelings for anyone who showed her a little affection. It wasn't her she liked, it was the idea of being wanted. Tears started to fall as that thought did break her heart.

Just then Emma became bolder and lifted her other hand to cup Regina's cheek whilst shifting her body around to face her better, it was then that she felt tears falling upon her hand.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked with such care and concern.

"We can't do this" Regina said in a gentle and tender voice, lifting her other hand away from Jaspers head and cupping the one Emma had on her cheek. She knew she needed to be so so careful with what she did next as her rejection could destroy the blonde. But this needed to stop. She was young and vulnerable and confused.

"Why not?" Emma replied pulling back to look into chocolate coloured eyes "You said you like women so what's wrong with me?"

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You are a wonderful and beautiful young woman." Regina replied vehemently.

"So what's the problem?" She asked, rubbing away one of the brunettes freshly fallen tears with her thumb "I'm so confused right now. I may only be young but I can tell that there is something special between us, please don't tell me I am imagining it. I know you feel it too. Why can't we do this?"

"Because it's not right Emma!" She cried. "When I was a little older than you, an older man forced me to be him. It was..." she trailed off, how could she finish that sentence without scaring the blonde. "I could never do that to you."

Emma looked at her mentor with shock, she struggled with the potential ramifications of what she had just said. She could tell that she didn't want to elaborate on her story so she resolved not to push. She put her head back on her shoulder and gently replied.

"It wouldn't be the same with us." She said squeezing her hand. "I want to be with you. Besides, I'm totally legal if that's what's bothering you. I'm seventeen in two months."

"It's not as easy as that Emma, you may be of the age of consent but if we were to be together, it would still be illegal, I am employed in a position of trust, you are in my care"

"Well, I won't tell anyone." Emma said, throwing in one of her cheeky smiles.

"It doesn't work like that, it would be an abuse of my position. I would literally be abusing you, Emma. That is the absolute last thing I would ever do to you."

Regina reached out her free hand to cup the blondes face this time.

"No you wouldn't, you never could, I trust you." Again she nuzzled into the older woman's neck. She then lifted her own hand up to Regina's face and pulled gently so they were looking deep into each other's eyes. "I want this."

Regina carefully placed her forehead against Emma's as she broke eye contact.

"It can't happen, Emma." She managed to say through her increasing tears.

"THIS IS BULLSHIT!" Emma shouted as she jumped up off the bench and started to pace the area. "You feel this, I feel this, what's the fucking problem!?"

"Calm down and think for a moment. How do you see your life in ten or even fifteen years time?"

The blonde thought for a moment, she wanted what she had always wanted, what she had had a brief glimpse of in the last few weeks.

"I want to be happy, I want to feel wanted and loved." Replied Emma with glistening eyes.

Regina's thoughts immediately turned to the many times she had looked on as Emma and Hook had interacted like lovesick teenagers, stealing each other's food giggling between themselves.

"You will be happy, I promise. It may take a while but you will meet someone that makes you feel those things and you will love them very much."

"You're not listening. I have found someone that makes me feel like that, you!"

"Emma, I am old enough to be your mother. You don't want to be with me." She implored, shaking her head.

"Please don't tell me what I want."

"It can't happen Emma, not here." The brunette said exhaustedly. Emma quickly grabbed on to what she had said.

"Where then?" She asked.

"Pardon?" Enquired Regina, not fully aware of what she had said.

"You said it can't happen here. Where could it happen?"

This wasn't helping, the brunette chastised herself for slipping up.

"Emma, please, stop." She begged.

"Ok ok, just please tell me this because I feel like I'm going insane, could it ever happen? If we weren't here and I was older, could it happen?"

She knew what she was about to say wasn't going to help in the least but she just couldn't lie to the blonde.

"From my point of view, in a different time and place, I would be honoured to be with you. But we are where we are and here, this has to stop."

Taking the time to once again wipe the older woman's tears Emma finally acquiesced and replied with a single word before standing up and sadly walking away.

"Ok."

 **AN: Thanks for your patience people. I am a hilarious wreck of a human being at the moment so I'm sorry if this chapter is particularly rubbish. It's quite a difficult subject matter. I promise it will lighten up soon. Next chapter Regina gets to talk to adult Emma.**

 **A little light relief for you all, I am so wrecked that I only got a mile into my morning run today before collapsing in a bush outside John Lewis. The situation was made ten times worse when a really pretty lady (not like Lana pretty, but still pretty hot) came to ask if I was ok and I lost the power of speech due to her astounding beauty. I've literally never been more embarrassed in my life.**

 **On that note, I'm going to nurse my scrubbed knee and have a cuppa before bed.**

 **As ever, thanks for reading and peace and love to all. Enjoy what's left of the weekend everyone (if there is any left where you are, there certainly isn't here).**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Emma listened with great interest as Henry started to explain the sequence of events leading to him possibly knowing a way for her to talk to Regina. When he had first learned of his brunette mothers excursion through time and space he had made it his business to find out as much as possible about such matters. With Belle's help, he had looked exhaustively through her many magical tomes, all to no avail. They had found no other documented cases of wish based time travel to draw inspiration from. So eventually, he had gone to talk to the Blue Fairy himself.

During his meeting with Blue, he had asked why they had been unable to find any information. The answer had been quite simple.

"There are very strict rules about such things Henry, one of the first rules of wish granting is that it can't involve time travel. It's just too dangerous. Fairies have actually gone to great lengths to make people believe it isn't possible. But as we have proved, it is."

"Why is it so dangerous?" He had asked out of curiosity.

"Well, for most people their timelines are quite fragile. Any slight change in the past can have a catastrophic effect on their present lives. That is why it isn't allowed." A sudden look of shock flashed across Henry's face, no one had mentioned this to him. If young Emma was, as he suspected, busy falling for his other mother what did that mean for his chances of conception? Blue sensed his unease.

"Don't worry Henry, I said most people. Your mother's timeline is different. Like I told her, she is the saviour and everything that has happened to her in the past happened to make her the person she needed to be to save us all. When the wish has played out she won't remember her time at camp."

"That seems so unfair," Henry answered sadly.

"I know, but that's the way it needs to be. However magic isn't that cruel, it is likely she will remember having a great summer, just no specifics."

"That's something, I suppose." He conceded.

"Don't worry Henry, your mom's happy ending is close. I can feel it and it will be worth all the hurt and pain. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?"

He thought about her question for a moment, he sensed that there wasn't much more to learn about the wish. He knew it had to play out before his brunette mother could return and he now knew that the timeline was safe. It seemed like all he could do was wait.

But then his thoughts turned to Emma, he knew she was struggling. Even though she now knew where Regina was, she was still worried sick, not to mention feeling pretty guilty for dragging her into the past.

"Yes, actually. I was wondering if there was any way that my moms could talk to each other? I think Emma feels bad about dragging mom into her drama, no one has seen her for a few days, I think it could really help if they could talk you know?"

Blue seemed to consider his request for a moment. The current chain of events was well in motion and she couldn't immediately think of a way of interrupting them. Unless...

She moved over to her desk and took out a pad of paper and a beautifully elaborate quill, she wrote something down quickly before tearing the top piece off and handing it to him. As he looked down he saw that all of the words on the sheet were disappearing. He could only make out the last three 'You owe her."

He was just about to ask who owed who what, when Blue issued her instructions.

"Have Emma take this to Gold, he may be able to help." She said with a smirk.

After he had finished recounting his tale to his blonde mother he pulled the small piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to her.

Rumplestiltskin was busy reading through his extensive inventory of magical items when he sensed the saviours magic approaching his shop. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for whatever nonsense question she was bound to be coming to ask. He was the Dark One, the most powerful magic user in all of the realms and purveyor of all things mystical and yet these idiots insisted on treating him like Google. Ok Rumple this, Ok Rumple that, he found it incredibly infuriating. He didn't even bother to look up as he heard the bell above the door tinkle.

"Well well well, if it isn't the soon to be Mrs Jones. How do you intend to waste my time today?"

Emma bristled, she had hardly relished the thought of coming here but Henry had been adamant, and hey, if it meant she got to talk to Regina then she was willing to endure the Dark One's disdain.

"Just Emma will do." She responded curtly.

It was then that he looked up and when his eyes landed upon the saviour he was shocked to see the bearing of the woman looking back. She was standing tall and proud, not at all like the chastised golden retriever with her tail between her legs look that she usually adopted. Her shoulders were pulled back and her chin slightly raised. Her eyes were sparkling with a fire he hadn't seen in her for years and her mouth was no longer in its now familiar perpetual state of downturn. She was looking at him like every bit of the Princess he knew she was born to be. To his surprise, he found that her new countenance thrilled him. He had always enjoyed facing down the wrath of Royalty.

He let out one of his trademark sniggers as he replied: "Well then, Princess Emma, how can I help you?"

To her surprise, she found that on this occasion, she didn't mind the addition of her title. It was usually only ever used to either mock her or by townsfolk unfamiliar with how uncomfortable it made her feel. In this instance, however, it felt like a term of respect.

She nodded her head in polite acceptance and held out Blue's note. "The Blue Fairy said to give you this."

It had been a long time since the Blue gnat had dared to send him a note, never mind via Royal delivery, he reached out and as his fingers touched the paper the words began to reappear. He took it from her hand and turned his back as he read its contents.

He let out a knowing chuckle as he approached a cabinet towards the back of the shop that Emma knew to contain some of his stronger potions. A moment later he presented her with a minute vial containing one drop of a shimmering potion.

"If the Blue Fairy is correct, this will take you to her for a brief time. Use it somewhere comfortable, it will knock you out." And with that he walked into the back of the shop, making it very obvious that it was time for her to leave. She allowed herself a moment to look at the vial in wonder before turning on her heal and making her way back to her house, the whole while wondering what the hell was written on that note.

When she arrived back at the house she was greeted by her very eager son.

"Did Grandfather agree to help?" He asked excitedly.

"He did, although I'm not entirely sure why. He gave me this." She said holding up the tiny bottle.

"Cool!" Exclaimed Henry, taking a closer look at the swirling patterns inside the drop. "What does it do?"

"Blue thinks it will take me to your mom for a short while."

"Awesome," he said as Emma made her way over to the couch to make herself comfortable before taking the potion. "You're doing it now?" Henry questioned.

"Yeah, Gold said it will knock me out. Will you watch over me whilst I'm under?"

"Always." He said with a smile as she lifted the uncapped vial to her lips.

* * *

Emma awoke with a start, it had worked, she was in her younger versions bed at camp. She pulled back the covers and sat up. Just as she moved to swing her legs to the side to get out of bed she was overcome by a huge rush of emotions as the memories of the day hit her. She felt the teens elation at the fact that her feelings were seemingly returned but she also felt her sadness that they couldn't be acted upon. But above all, she knew that the youngster was just pleased that she still had Ria in her life, someone that she knew loved her very much. That was enough, even if it wasn't exactly what she wanted. She recalled a very sombre evening of avoidance as she had processed that after their shockingly open discussion by the wood pile.

Her younger self had near enough thrown herself at the brunette and yet Regina had managed to handle it in a way that still left the teen feeling safe and cared for.

Relief flooded her system, her memories showed her how easy it would have been for Regina to give in and kiss her but Emma was grateful that she hadn't. She had stayed strong and true, it would have been so easy to take advantage of her younger self, but Emma knew that Regina never would, no matter her feelings for her older self and no matter how much the teenager wanted it and gods did Emma know how much little Emma had wanted it, she felt almost mean that she was pleased it hadn't happened.

As much as she was sure she would enjoy those memories she realised that she wanted to be the one that Regina kissed.

She couldn't wait any longer to talk to her so she jumped out of the bed and marvelled for a moment at the feeling of being back in her young body. She was so scrawny. She knew she had allowed herself to get a bit thin just recently but she was still quite muscular, this version of herself, however, was an unpleasant combination of skin and bone and not much else. She vowed that when she got back she was going to get healthy and look after herself properly.

She made her way towards Regina's room and walked in through the open door. There she was, fast asleep with Jasper by her side, she looked so beautiful that she almost didn't want to wake her. She had to though, she didn't know how long she had here.

"Regina." She whispered as she gently sat down on the bed.

The brunette immediately stirred, when she realised it was Emma who had woken her she sat bolt upright and wildly took in her surroundings. In her experience, being awoken in the middle of the night was never a good thing. Having not spotted anything immediately amiss, she trained her eyes on the teen, visually checking her over for any physical signs of a problem. With none found she started to relax a little.

"Emma, what's wrong?" She asked with concern, moving up the bed so that she could rest her back against the headboard.

"Nothing's wrong, I'm sorry I scared you," Emma replied regretfully.

"Well, then you probably shouldn't be in here." Regina gently warned.

"Regina, it's me." She tried again.

Regina's sleep-addled brain was just not kicking in, she looked back at her in confusion. She should have realised immediately this was her Emma, as her younger counterpart didn't know her real name, but it still took a little further encouragement before she finally realised who it was she was talking to.

"Storybrooke me. The one from your time."

"Emma!" She exclaimed in surprised shock and disbelief, reaching out to cup her face and look into her eyes. After a moment and without even thinking about it, she launched herself forward and pulled her best friend into a bone-crushing hug. "I'm so happy to see you."

"I've missed you so much." Replied the blonde wholeheartedly reciprocating the hug.

"What are you doing here? What's going on Emma?" She asked before thinking of a much more important question. "How is our boy?"

Emma pulled back from the hug and settled herself next to the brunette against the headboard.

"I came to explain what's happening and our boy is fine, he misses his mom, but he's just fine." Regina visibly relaxed a little, safe in the knowledge that Henry was safe and well.

Just then a happy bark came from the other side of Regina.

"Jasper!" Exclaimed Emma, leaning right across Regina to stroke the fluff ball on his head. After a few moments of playful petting, she realised that she was practically sitting in the older woman's lap. Regina was sat stock still, desperately trying to control the flush that was threatening to cover her body.

"Sorry..." coughed Emma as she sat back up and moved a respectable distance away. "First I guess I need to apologise," she said hesitantly. "It's kinda my fault you are here."

"What do you mean?" Questioned the former Queen, pushing aside the awkwardness that had descended upon them.

"Well, when I was sixteen I made a wish, it's a long story but basically that wish was only activated recently and it's why you are in my past."

"I didn't know wishes could do that?"

"According to the Blue Fairy they can, it was her magic that granted it."

Regina was relieved to be finally getting some answers after several weeks in the dark as to what she was doing here. Her curiosity got the better of her now as she found that she needed to know everything Emma knew.

"What about the timeline? I'm not changing it am I?" She asked, keen to clear up the constant fear of changing everyone's future.

"No, don't worry. She said my timeline is protected, something about my life having to go the way it did. She said this is like a pocket of time, separate from everything else. When the spell is done, little me won't remember ever being here."

"And when will the spell be complete?" Regina continued.

"She said that it will most likely end when Ria's job is done, so I guess you are stuck here for a few more weeks." Emma replied regretfully. Another few weeks, she could cope with that, it was nice to finally have an idea when she would be going home.

"That's ok," the brunette replied, slipping into a more conversational tone. "I'm actually enjoying myself if you can believe that. Little you is pretty good company."

"Oh, I know you have been enjoying yourself," Emma said with a wink. "I've been receiving her memories of your time here day by day. Nice save earlier by the way." She teased.

To Regina's absolute horror she realised that of course, Emma knew what was happening at camp, she was living it too after all. She had heard first hand when she confessed her love for her older self and she knew all about the events earlier that day. She was totally lost for words as she flushed with embarrassment.

"Hey, don't do that. Don't be embarrassed. You handled little me very well." Emma gently reassured, moving herself a little closer so she could take hold of her hand. Regina's tired mind just wasn't quite ready to process the events of the last few minutes. Instead, she allowed it to form a question she hadn't thought to ask earlier.

"What did you wish for?"

"I wished someone cared about me." Emma replied wistfully.

"Oh, Emma." Regina sighed sympathetically, forgetting all about the distance she was trying to maintain, she pulled the blonde into another hug.

"I felt so alone in the world back then, back in this time." Emma started to explain as an unruly tear escaped onto her cheek. "But it's ok because the wish brought me you. You are doing such a great job here. I feel loved, for the first time in my life, I feel loved."

"You are loved Emma, more than you know." Regina whispered as she brushed the blondes tears away.

"I know, I heard what you said to younger me, how you described me to her. I had no idea you felt that way."

"I..." Regina began.

"Stop, please listen to me." The blonde almost begged. "When you vanished, I realised a few things... you weren't there and I... missed you so much. I've never missed anyone so much in my life. I realised that I want to be with you, always."

"What are you saying Emma?"

"I'm saying that I don't love him... I love you."

Regina could only stare at the blonde in disbelief. Was this real? Could it really be true?

"Gina, say something."

"I...I love you, so much." She said pulling her back into another tight hug.

As they sat there in each other's arms the feelings of mutual love shifted to desire. Emma could almost feel an electric spark in the air as she relished the feeling of finally having Regina in her arms. It wasn't like she had imagined it, she saw herself as the strong knight, shielding her Queen from all past and future demons. But here she was the smaller one being surrounded by the strong and powerful arms of her own personal protector. She felt truly safe for possibly the first time ever and by the god's did she enjoy that feeling.

"I really want to kiss you right now." Emma admitted shyly.

"God's me too, I want that so much. I never allowed myself to believe that we would ever get to this, for years I have dreamt about feeling your lips against mine, but we have to wait."

"I know, I understand. Not like this. It wouldn't be fair to her. When you finally kiss me, I want you to kiss me."

Regina smiled brightly as she playfully rubbed her nose against the blondes as a promise that she would, one day soon deliver that kiss. She then started shifting herself down the bed and encouraged Emma to follow her. They settled facing each other with their foreheads touching whilst holding each other tightly. They laid there for a while, enjoying the feeling of being reunited. Without realising she was doing it, Regina's hands started rubbing soothing circles upon the other woman's back. Emma shifted slightly to make herself more comfortable in the older woman's arms.

"I feel funny," Emma finally said. "I think I am shifting back. I miss you, see you soon ok?"

"Soon." Regina reassured, pausing her tender caresses to lift her hand up to Emma's cheek.

"I love you." They both whispered at the same time. Emma fell silent, Regina just held her trying to absorb the conversation they had just had.

After a long few minutes, Emma shifted ever so slightly and her voice broke the silence that had fallen over the room.

"Not that I am complaining about the cuddle but what the fuck just happened? Who the hell is Regina and what does a blue fucking Fairy have to do with anything?"

 **AN: Hey everyone, sorry this is a bit late. I have no excuse other than I needed the last few days to just sleep after a hard academic year and a heavy end of year party. The good news is that I now have six weeks off work and I am on this! I also plan to tidy up some of the one-shots I have been toying with for months and also have in mind to write a cheeky Regina/Evil Queen companion piece.**

 **I can't promise when things will get done as I have actual mountains to climb and whole islands to cycle. But I enjoy writing and plan to indulge as often as possible.**

 **As ever, peace and love to all. Also a huge thanks to anyone who has commented so far. I have received some truly lovely feedback.**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Emma awoke on the couch in her living room with a start.

"It worked!" She informed Henry, who had been dutifully watching over her the whole time she had been unconscious. "I talked to her, she's ok."

"Good, I'm glad." He said as he sat down it the space vacated by Emma's legs as she spun around to sit up. "Was she angry with you for making the wish?" He enquired, being all too familiar with his other mother's fiery temper.

"Gods no, if anything she was sad. Sad that I had felt like I had to make the wish in the first place. It's cool though because she's got it covered. She is helping little me be happy."

Henry couldn't help but smile at that knowledge. He knew Emma had had an awful childhood, he was thrilled that the person who had made his so great was now having an effect on hers.

"Was she pleased to see you?" He asked. Emma's mind was immediately pulled back to the flush both women had felt when they had gotten close.

"Erm, yeah she was." She answered shyly. "She asked about you, she really misses you."

Henry noticed her minor discomfort and smiled to himself, he hoped that it meant that his other mother had finally acted on her feelings. The specifics of that however, he had absolutely no interest in. They were his parents after all.

"Did you tell her I miss her too?"

"Of course." She answered with a reassuring smile.

"Did you tell her that you miss her?" He asked gently, he was dying to know whether she had fessed up to her feelings but he also knew that if he poked her too hard she was likely to close down. He knew the difficulties she had dealing with her emotions.

She smiled when she answered "I did." She paused as she considered what she was going to say next."I may have told her that I love her." She finally said sheepishly.

"And." Henry prompted as he excitedly started bouncing ever so slightly on the sofa where he sat next to his Ma.

"And, she may have said it back." She answered with a look of pure joy upon her face. "She loves me Henry, can you believe it?" She said hitting him excitedly on the knee.

"Yes, I can. I can believe it because you are awesome, you both are. I have known for a long time how amazing you two would be together, you just needed to see it too."

"You are amazing, you know that?" She said, pulling him into a big hug. "How on this earth do me and your Mom deserve you?"

"Well, what can I say? You two deserve the best. Here I am!" He said with a flourish.

"And so modest too," Emma said whilst ruffling his hair. She knew how much he disliked it these days and just couldn't resist. "Come on, let's tidy up and then we can maybe watch a movie? I might have magiced myself a new 60 incher in the refurb."

Henry laughed as he tried to tame his hair back to the way he liked it. "Mom's gonna kill you when she gets back, you know that right?"

"Meh, my house my rules." She sassed as she headed back towards the kitchen to clear up. Henry smiled over the fact that she was finally becoming herself again.

* * *

Young Emma had been aware of the exact moment her body had been commandeered. It was the strangest feeling she had ever experienced. She could see through her own eyes but had no control over where they looked. She could also feel her body moving as she sat up in bed, but again she had no control over its actions. She looked on as she stood up and walked towards Ria's bedroom. No, no, no, she thought, Ria would be so pissed if she discovered her in there. She willed her body to stop moving, to turn around and go back to her own bed but it was no use.

What the hell was going on? Was she sleepwalking? Or maybe having some sort of fit? She couldn't for the life of her figure out what could be happening.

Her body sat on the edge of Ria's bed and spent a moment just looking at her. She was so beautiful, especially while she was sleeping.

What happened next made the whole experience much weirder. She felt her mouth open and heard her voice say "Regina." Who was Regina and why had she used that name whilst trying to wake Ria?

Ria had stirred at this and looked around the room in shock. She had asked her what was wrong and when the answer had been nothing, the older woman had looked a little annoyed. She heard her own voice again, "Regina, it's me. Storybrooke me. The one from your time." The words made no sense to Emma but they seemed to mean something to the brunette. Ria launched herself forward and pulled her into the tightest hug she'd ever had. More words were exchanged, "I'm so happy to see you." and "I've missed you so much."

Emma zoned out for a while as she attempted to deal with her total shock, not only was Ria not freaking out about this but she seemed to know exactly what was going on. The brunette seemed to be well aware that she wasn't talking to young Emma Swan anymore.

Emma rejoined the conversation and became aware of the strange words being used. They were talking about wishes and timelines and spells. Spells? Where they talking about magic?

Could that be what was happening here? Was magic the reason that someone else seemed to be in control her body right now? It seemed as good a reason as any.

Emma had always believed in magic, ever since she was a little girl when a magician had visited her group home one Christmas. She had been absolutely captivated by the awe and wonder of the experience. She wanted so much to believe it was real, to believe that maybe one day magic would play a hand in making her life a bit more bearable. She had held onto that belief all throughout her younger life and if she was to be honest, a small part of her still believed it now.

Maybe today was that day.

The tone of the conversation had shifted now. I love you's were being whispered whilst the two women held each other. The desire to close the very small gap between them and kiss the brunette was overwhelming but she couldn't. Instead, she settled into the comfort of her arms, not wanting the moment to end. Eventually she heard the words "I think I am shifting back." Sure enough a few moments later she felt the other presence leave her body as she regained control. Still, she lay there in that wonderful embrace.

Never in all of her life had she felt so loved and cared for than in that moment. She had just experienced the strangest thing ever to happen to her, she understood that the words the brunette had spoken weren't meant for her, but at the same time, she felt like they absolutely were. It felt totally right, hearing those words, feeling the other woman's love. Her words felt like the most important words she would ever hear. She had so many questions, questions that weren't going to answer themselves. As much as she felt like she could lay there forever she was going to have to say something soon.

"Not that I am complaining about the cuddle but what the fuck just happened? Who the hell is Regina and what does a blue fucking Fairy have to do with anything?"

Regina froze, oh shit she thought, how was she going to get out of this? She needed to think quickly. After a few seconds of frantically grasping for a solution, she realised that she was in no state to find one. She was exhausted from the emotions of the day and she could feel her eyes begin to close.

"Shhhh, go back to sleep, you were dreaming." She said, settling her head back on the pillow after she had lifted it slightly to look at the teen.

For a few moments, it seemed to her that Emma had bought that as she settled back into their embrace. In the back of Regina's mind she knew she shouldn't be allowing this closeness, but if it aided in getting the teen back to sleep where she would hopefully write off what just happened and a figment of her imagination, then it was acceptable.

"I don't believe you Ree, if that is even your name. I'm serious, what the hell just happened?" She asked with a non-confrontational but curious tone.

Regina released a sigh as she realised at Emma wasn't going to drop this. She was going to have to tell her the truth. Or at least parts of the truth.

"I'm really not sure you would believe me if I told you." Regina answered honestly. Wriggling out of the embrace and sitting back up in the bed.

"Try me." Emma said, also sitting up. "I just up woke in the middle of the night with no control over my body, having a conversation that I don't understand about wishes and memories and timelines. It was like there was someone else in here with me, who was that? How is that possible?" The teen paused, a part of her felt like the next part of her question was utterly ridiculous, an equal part of her, however, knew it to be true, she felt the truth of it in the air around her. "Was it... magic?"

"You... you believe in magic?" Regina asked in genuine shock. The Emma Swan she knew was a natural sceptic, she hadn't assumed for one moment that her younger version would be able to so readily accept the idea of magic into her life.

"Yeah, I mean, why not? I can feel it, I think. Like in the air around us. It would go a long way towards explaining what the hell happened just now."

Regina took a moment to think on what the teen had just said. She was so used to not having her magic here that she had easily defaulted to the life she had lived for twenty-eight years whilst under her own curse. During that time she had believed that there was no magic in this realm, it was after all called 'The land without magic'. Upon her arrival, she had tried and failed to summon her magic and when it hadn't worked, she had simply not tried again. She had done the same here, after her initial attempt she had assumed the same so had not bothered again. Upon Emma's suggestion, Regina allowed herself to truly feel the world around her and to her absolute surprise she realised that she too could feel the magic all around them.

"I suppose it would." Regina answered with an impressed smile. "You are right, it is all around us." With that, she raised her hand and created a glowing orb of light that began to gently float around their heads. It wasn't her usual go to but she didn't want to scare Emma by conjuring up one of her trademark fireballs.

"Wow!" Exclaimed Emma as she rose to her knees to get a better look at the orb. "How did you do that?"

Regina near enough melted when she saw the look of absolute joy and amazement on the teens face.

"Are you a witch?" The blonde asked with excitement. Regina winced as she heard the word she'd had thrown at her in disdain so many times.

"I prefer the term 'magic user' but yes, I am a witch. My mother was before me and so is my sister."

Emma's attention was finally pulled away from the glowing ball as she refocused on the other woman and flashed her a huge smile.

"That is so awesome!" She said as she again turned her attention to the orb. She couldn't resist, she had an overwhelming urge to reach out and touch it. As she held up her hand the ball began to float over to her and eventually settled in the palm of her hand. The whole time Regina looked on with avid interest, she knew that if a none magic user were to touch the light it would dissipate back into the ether. The fact that Emma could touch it meant that her latent powers were already beginning to manifest. The fact that she could attract and hold it meant something else, something really rather beautiful. Their magic recognised each other.

"It feels... I don't know, it feels..." Emma started to say but got lost trying to think of a suitably appropriate word.

"Magical?" Regina offered out with a teasing smile. She too rose to her knees, turning to face the awestruck teen.

"Yeah," Emma replied distantly. Something suddenly clicked in her brain as she truly registered what the brunette had said, her eyes narrowed as she smirked: "Hey, don't tease me, I'm new to all of this."

Regina held up her hands as if in defeat as she continued to smile at the blonde. Emma gently released the magic sitting in her hand and it went back to floating peacefully around them.

"Who are you really?" Emma asked with sweet curiosity. "What's really happening here?"

"My name is Regina. I've travelled back in time to fulfil your wish Emma."

"My wish?" She questioned in disbelief. Magic she could believe in, the fact that someone thought she was special enough to grant her wish, she struggled with.

"Yes, your wish. You wished someone somewhere cared about you. I'm here to tell you that I care. I care about you so very much."

"You do?" She questioned. "Wait, you travelled through time? Do we... do we know each other in the future?"

"Yes we do, we are friends. In the future we live in a place where magic exists all around, that magic granted your wish here. I'm here to tell you to never give up Emma. Don't lose faith, things get better for you."

"They do?"

"Yes honey, they do. You have a family that loves you very much." Regina said as she cupped the teens face in her hands.

A family, the idea was so earth-shatteringly huge that Emma couldn't begin to fathom how to process it. She, Emma Swan, the baby someone had dumped by the side of the road had a family, had a future and it involved the incredible woman kneeling before her. In the face of this astonishing news an odd question came to mind. A question that she felt may well be the most important one she will ever ask.

"Who were you just talking with?"

"A friend from my time." Regina answered. Emma had just received huge spoilers about her life to come, she didn't want to overload her with too much information all at once. She knew she would figure it out for herself sooner or later.

"A friend?" Emma questioned. "Seemed a little more familiar than that." She couldn't quite put her finger on why this line of questioning was so important right now.

Regina thought for a moment. Emma was right, they had been friends, now it seemed like they could finally be more.

"We...maybe we are more than friends." Regina admitted with a smile, she just couldn't help it. Emma Swan was in love with her. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought it could be possible.

Emma observed the look on the other woman's face, she had seen it once before, when Ria had told her about the woman she loved.

"Wait, was that the woman you told me about, the one you love?" Emma asked. Small details about the earlier conversation she had been witness to were coming back to her, information that hadn't sunk in at the time as she was too busy freaking out. "You said 'our son', that was her wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was." Regina answered with a smile.

Emma knew that she should feel jealous but she just couldn't find it within her. The woman sitting before her looked so happy.

"I'm so happy that you got to talk to her, and she loves you too, that's great news!" She found herself saying. As the words came out of her mouth she could feel her heart break a little. Now there was no chance that she would ever get to be with the brunette, she could sense that the love she shared with this other woman was epic and everlasting.

More parts of the earlier conversation came rushing back to her then. A startling fact came to mind. She had called the other person Emma. Phrases like "my past" and "younger me" had been used. Could it be possible that the person who had been talking through her was her older self?

"Oh my god, wait. You called her Emma." She stated in shock.

"I did." Regina calmly answered. The penny was finally dropping.

"She said 'my past'."

"Yes, she did."

"Holy shit Regina, were you just talking to me? The me from the future?"

"Yes," Regina admitted. What would be the point of denying it now? "I was just talking to your older self."

"The woman you love is me!? My older self?"

"Yes my love, I love you with all of my heart." Regina replied, relieved that she could finally be honest about her true feelings.

"You love me." Emma repeated in disbelief.

"Very much." Regina answered before pulling the dumbstruck blonde into her strong and yet gently loving embrace.

 **AN: There we go, I've been dragging my feet a little over this chapter. It just refused to come to me. That and I have been off on several adventures. I won't bore you with the details but it turns out 70miles in one day on a pushbike is a bloody long way.**

 **Peace and love to all. As ever thanks for the faves and follows. I love your comments too. They remind me to sit my arse back down at my computer lol.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Storybrooke

After Emma had left Killian to his own thoughts onboard the Jolly Roger he had come to a decision. He wasn't going to take this lying down. Emma was his and there was no way that he was going to let the former Queen waltz in and steal his girl, not after all the hard work he had put into their relationship.

He immediately vowed that not another drop of rum would pass his lips until he had thought up a plan to rectify the situation. He had returned to his quarters and set about drawing up a plan. It became obvious to him that his plan was going to have to involve travelling back in time so he concentrated on figuring out who he could ask for help. Rumple was a definite no, they may sometimes now find themselves fighting on the same side but they were certainly not allies. Too much had passed between them for that.

Blue wasn't a possibility either, she would never agree to help him. Besides, he had heard from Henry that it had been her magic that had granted the wish in the first place, she definitely wouldn't tolerate him trying to interfere.

Zelina was also out of the question. He knew that her relationship with her sister was a touch fraught at times but at the end of the day, they were the only blood family they each had left. There was no way that Zelina would get involved in anything that could potentially cause harm to her little sister. Not these days anyway, not since she had chosen her over her true love.

He sat at his desk and pondered his options for what felt like an age, all the while absentmindedly tapping his hook against the arm of his chair. He just couldn't think of a magic user that would be willing to help him. All the ones he could think of were too heavily involved in the situation. News travelled fast in Storybrooke, especially news about their beloved Princess and he was sure that their breakup would be common knowledge by now. He needed someone that had very little to do with the band of heroes. Someone who would have little interest in the comings and goings of this small town.

Then it came to him, he needed the Genie of the Lamp. Aladdin was the perfect candidate, being the Genie meant that he had phenomenal cosmic powers. Killian knew that he couldn't use his powers to make Emma love him again but he would be able to send him back in time as the genies rules on time travel were seemingly a little more lackadaisical when held up against the fairies.

A short time later, he found himself standing outside of the small apartment he knew Aladdin was now sharing with Jasmine.

"Killian, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I was actually hoping you could do me a favour mate."

"If it involves granting you a wish then I'm afraid I can't help. I can only grant wishes to my master and that is currently David."

"Oh." Replied the Pirate. There was no way David was going to help him and if he knew him, he would have hidden the lamp somewhere so unreachable that there was little point trying to find it to take command over the Genie.

"You look troubled my friend, maybe talking about your woes will help." Aladdin said in his peculiar and very unconvincing accent that no one could quite place.

And so it was that Captain Hook plopped himself down on Aladdin's couch to relay the tale of how his love had been stolen away from him. His story wasn't particularly heavy on the facts. He didn't mention how he had sensed some time ago that Emma's heart wasn't really in their relationship. He certainly didn't bring up the fact that he had witnessed the two women being drawn closer and closer together. He didn't voice these things because in his heartbroken state he just wasn't willing to accept them.

"So the thing is, I need to travel back in time to where Regina is changing things, I need to stop her before it is too late." Hook summed up.

"I see," Aladdin said after taking a minute to digest what he had just been told. "I may not be able to grant your wish but I think I may have just the thing you need." He stood up and walked over to a small shabby chic bureau and removed something from one of the draws. "This was a gift I received a while ago from the Prince of Persia. I once helped Prince Dastan to recover something that had been taken from him. Let's just say that he required my expertise in subtle reacquisition."

"You mean you nicked something back for him?" Hook asked with a smirk.

"Something like that, yes." Aladdin smiled in response, moving to sit back down on the sofa. He handed Hook a small double ended bottle, one half was faintly glowing orange and the other half blue. As he held it up to the light he could see that it contained a fine sand-like substance.

"What is this?" Hook asked somewhat sceptically.

"These are the sands of time, a few grains allows the user to travel back to any given moment in their life, to warn themselves against a particular course of action. It is simple to use, orange to go, blue to return. You will have to take Miss Swan with you though. You cannot travel into her past without her."

Hook studied the bottle in his hand. He hadn't even considered taking Emma with him but now he thought about it, it was perfect. She would get to see firsthand how Regina was brainwashing her.

"This could work," he said nodding his head "thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Call me a romantic. Besides, you won't need all of it. Just give the rest back when you are done."

"Cheers mate," Hook exclaimed whilst excitedly jumping up off the couch.

The pair shook hands and then the Pirate retired to the Jolly Roger to come up with a plan to get Emma to agree to travel back into her own past. With half a plan he felt that he had accomplished enough to allow himself a drink.

* * *

Back on camp, Emma had a million questions about the future, she wanted to know everything, but she could tell that the brunette was utterly exhausted. After her declaration of love she had pulled Emma back into her embrace and settled in for the night. Within minutes she was asleep.

It had, however, taken Emma a little longer to drift off. Being in the other woman's bed, being enveloped by her strong yet gentle arms, breathing in her scent with their bodies pressed together was entirely overwhelming. Over the course of the last few days, she had often found herself daydreaming about what it would feel like to be in this position, she had imagined it many different ways, more often than not it involved passionate kisses and exploring hands. But to her surprise she found that she didn't mind at all that there was no suggestion of anything sexual in this situation, she was perfectly happy just existing in this woman's sleepy and warm embrace. Half an hour after Regina had succumbed to the pull of sleep, young Emma joined her with a smile on her face and love in her heart.

The next morning Regina awoke at her usual time, no matter how tired she was she always woke at the same time every day. She would love to lie to herself and claim she had no idea why that was, but she sadly knew full well. As a child, her mother insisted she was up and ready for the day well before Regina herself considered a sensible time. On the few occasions that she had been unable to comply she had been beaten severely and had learned never to sleep in late again.

As painful as those memories were, they were a world away from where she was right now. Quite literally in fact. Here she was, surrounded by light and warmth, not the cold darkness she had endured as a child.

She was yet to open her eyes but she knew Jasper was sleeping beside her as she could feel the now familiar warmth of his furry body. This morning though, his body was not the only one she could feel pressed up against her, on her other side she could feel the lanky body of teenage Emma Swan as well. Her lips pulled into a blissful smile as she remembered the feeling of falling asleep with her in her arms.

As she opened her eyes she noticed that the blonde's eyes were already open and looking straight at her.

"Morning," Regina said sleepily.

Emma said nothing in reply, she merely moved her head slightly and continued to study Regina from this new angle.

"What you looking at?" The brunette asked, still smiling.

"You," Emma replied simply. "You are..." she paused to search for the perfect word to describe the woman before her. After a few beats, she found her vocabulary sorely lacking and went with "amazing." She reached out and gently touched the older woman's face, she ran her fingers down her cheek as if to check that she was real. "Did last night really happen?" She almost whispered as she continued her assessment and softly pushed some of Regina's hair off of her face.

"It did." Regina confirmed with an even brighter smile.

"Good," Emma replied. "If it had been a dream I think I would have been heartbroken."

"It wasn't a dream Emma." The brunette reassured as she too lifted her hand up to the teen's face.

"What happens now?" Emma asked after a few moments of getting lost in each other gaze. As if on cue, Jasper chose that exact moment to jump in between the pair and snuggle in for some loving. As the pair laughed and fussed over him Emma struggled to imagine a more perfect way to wake up.

* * *

The next morning Hook felt absolutely terrible. The small celebratory drink he had allowed himself had turned into several very large ones and now his head was pounding. Still, he was under the impression that he didn't have the time to sleep it off, in his mind he hadn't a moment to lose if he was to win back his woman. That, of course, was nonsense as he was planning on travelling in time. Bless him, temporal mechanics had not been on the syllabus when he had attended school.

Another side effect of getting a little carried away with the rum was that he had neglected to come up with a plan to get Emma onboard with his idea. In a snap decision upon waking he had concluded that a snatch and grab would have to do. So off he went on his quest to locate the saviour. As it goes, it wasn't difficult as she was in the diner with Henry and her parents.

Before forcing his way into the diner and accosting her, he paused outside the window as he was momentarily taken back by her appearance. She was wearing the same style of clothes she always used to; skinny jeans and a leather jacket. Not her red one though, it appeared that she didn't feel like she needed to wear her armour today. She looked happy and vibrant, her hair was curled and the colour had returned to her face. Her red lips are curled up into a perpetual smile as she interacted with her family and he noticed she was standing tall and proud, just like her father. There was a confident fluidity in her movements, a trait he had never seen before from her, around him she tended to slouch awkwardly. She looked happy, really, genuinely happy and that just solidified in Hooks mind that he was doing the right thing. How could she possibly be this happy without the interference of magic? Yes, he was certain, she was definitely under some sort of spell and it was Regina's doing.

If he had been thinking rationally then perhaps he would have realised that that was absurd. He had watched the Evil Queen transform right before his eyes into a hero. She had proved time and again that she was willing to work hard to make amends for her past deeds and work towards becoming the best person and mother she could be. Deep down he knew that Emma's support and friendship had played a huge part in enabling her to do that and he knew that Regina would never do anything to take Emma's choice away but unfortunately he wasn't thinking rationally.

He had lost that ability the moment he sensed he was losing his happy beginning. Their relationship may well have been born, for his part anyway, from convenience and the desire to better himself through association, but it had become something more than that. Now, in his own way, his several hundred-year-old English way, he did love her and he couldn't rest until he had at least tried to win her back.

He pulled himself from his thoughts and entered the diner where he made a bee-line for Emma. She had been sharing a joke with her father when her attention was drawn to a dark blur heading straight for her, she turned her head to see what was happening and saw the Captain heading her way.

"Killian, what are you do..." She began to ask. However, the patrons of Granny's never got to hear the end of that question as Hook took a diving leap at his former fiancée. As he pulled her into a very unwelcome embrace he uncapped one end of the bottle and poured a small amount of the contents over the both of them, seconds later the pair disappeared into a shimmering orange portal.

* * *

After a sizeable amount of time fussing over Jasper and lazily waking up, Emma was dispatched off to her own room to get ready for their morning run. Ten minutes later they met again in the kitchen ready to head out.

"You have to tell me all about the future," Emma stated as she filled her water bottle. "Do we have flying cars?"

"That's the first question you ask? Are there flying cars?" Regina laughed.

"Well, I want to know all about my life, of course I do. But a little part of me is scared to ask."

"I can understand that," Regina replied. "I'm not sure I would like to know what my life will be like twenty years from now."

"That's where you are from? Twenty years from now?" The blonde asked with curiosity.

"Not quite, eighteen." The brunette replied.

"Oh my god, I'll be really old then." Emma laughed.

"Trust me, dear, 34 isn't old." Regina said with the wisdom of her many years.

"Wait, how old are you?" Emma asked as she grabbed the other woman's arm, suddenly very interested in her answer.

Regina saw no reason to lie about her age, she had seen 67 cycles around the sun if you added together the time spent in both realms and under the curse. Truth be told she thought she looked damn good for a woman her age.

"Double that and you will be close."

"Shit!" Emma replied in amazement. "Well, you look amazing for someone old enough to be my grandmother."

Regina was keen to leave that statement well alone, so with a smile, she grabbed her water and bolted out of the door with Emma hot on her tail.

After ten minutes of companionable silence, Emma piped up to ask another question. "You said we live in a place where magic is all around. Am I a witch too, like in Harry Potter?"

Regina rolled her eyes and laughed, trust Emma to ask that question. Future Emma was a huge Harry Potter nerd. She had vivid memories of being made to watch the films on family night. One such time Emma had even made her answer an online questionnaire so she could be 'sorted' into one of the four houses. She had been most offended to be associated with a snake until Emma had made her read more about it, then it seemed quite apt. Sometime later, when the Evil Queen had made her not so spectacular return and subsequently got turned into a serpent, Emma had almost wet her pants trying to talk to her in parseltongue. Curiously enough the Queen had understood every word she had said. She was just rather obstinate and therefore wholly unwilling to admit to it.

Just as Regina was about to dismiss her Harry Potter reference off as folly she had a thought, maybe it wasn't such a stupid comparison after all. That was Emma's point of reference to the magical world, so maybe she shouldn't be so quick to pooh-pooh her. "Yes, you are a Magic user too. And before you ask, no Voldemort isn't real."

"Why would I ask that? Of course he isn't, he is a character in a book." Emma laughed as she breezed over Regina's comment. Oh right, thought Regina. They hadn't gotten to the part about storybook characters being real yet.

They drew to a stop on the shore and the brunette had begun her warm down stretches when Emma asked yet another question.

"Tell me about our son." Regina's eyes lit up as if she had been asked to talk about her favourite subject, which of course she just had.

"Oh Emma, he is handsome and smart. He is just perfect. So much like you."

Emma flushed at the compliment. Out of pure curiosity, she decided to do a spot of maths, if he is sixteen and Regina is from eighteen years in the future, take into account the nine-month pregnancy and the fact she didn't know how long he had been sixteen and... shit.

"Holy shit! Are you here to knock me up?" Emma blurted out in shock.

Regina couldn't help but laugh out loud at the question. She would be loathed to admit it but one of her favourite things about Emma was her ability to jump to wild and often outrageously funny conclusions.

"No Emma, I'm not here to 'knock you up'." She laughed. "You fall pregnant the traditional way."

"So how come we...?"

That question was never asked as just then, they were interrupted by a cry of pain coming from behind the kayak rack.

* * *

Killian and Emma had been unceremoniously ejected from the portal onto soft and slightly damp ground. Before even taking the time to assess her surroundings, Emma rounded on the man raising to his feet next to her. She had no idea where she was but she knew she wasn't in Storybrooke anymore.

"What the hell you fucking prick! What did you do?"

"I did what I needed to do to make you see the truth. You belong with me, Swan. This..." he said whilst wildly gesturing around. "...is wrong. She is manipulating your younger self."

Emma paused to take in her surroundings, she was standing on the shore of a lake. As she looked out across the water she felt a warm familiarity settle over her. She turned to her side and noticed the racks of kayaks and canoes, neatly stowed away until they were needed next. A little further along sat a lone, up-turned canoe that she recognised. It was the one she had witnessed Ria and Hannah sitting on as they had talked the previous week. It was also the place that Regina had held her tight and soothed her after her run-in with Billy. Could it be? Were they really on camp? Oh, gods how she wished they were, but Emma being Emma, still wouldn't let herself believe it to be true. She bent down to feel the sand beneath her feet, it felt real. Finally, she took a deep breath and turned to where she expected to see the cabin she had shared with Regina as a teenager. Sure enough, there it stood.

"We're on camp!" She exclaimed excitedly, turning back to look at Hook.

"Aye love." He confirmed. "I brought you back here so you can see for yourself that she is brainwashing you into loving her."

"Killian," She sighed softly as she prepared herself for the conversation she knew she should have had onboard the Jolly Roger. She bore him no ill will and truly didn't want to hurt him but she could see now just how much she had. Just as she was about to begin talking they heard voices approaching the lake shore and both instinctively ducked around the back of the kayak racks. Being caught here by the wrong people would undoubtedly lead to all sorts of problems that Hook and Emma could quite frankly do without right now.

As they looked on from their hiding place they saw two people and a dog run out onto the beach only a few metres away from them. Emma wasn't surprised to see that it was her younger self and Regina returning to the lake after their morning run. She was however shocked when she finally got a glimpse of the pair, they both looked so different from what she had expected. When she had visited the night before she hadn't gotten a good look at herself, she hadn't thought to pause and look in a mirror - her objective had been to find and talk to Regina. Now that she was separate from her younger self she could see the harsh angles she had only felt whilst inhabiting her body.

Regina too looked quite different, in the darkness she hadn't really registered any changes. However now, in the light of day, she could see how she kind of looked like herself but at the same time completely different. Emma was so used to seeing her in full makeup and power suits that any difference was always a shock, but here she was make-up free and entirely natural. She wore a grey racer back vest with the camp Lonestar logo on the front and black shorts.

The Regina she was used to seeing was toned, that was for sure, but she actually had quite a petite build (not that she ever came across as small on account of her larger than life personality). The version she was looking at now was no taller but she was much more athletic and her skin was several tones darker due to exposure to the sun. Emma couldn't help but lick her lips as she drank in the sight of Regina's muscles as she bent over to complete her warm down stretches. Hook looked on in disbelief as Emma practically drooled.

"Errr Swan, do you mind not getting a wide on whilst you are stood next to me. It's a touch disrespectful don't you think?"

She rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to the man beside her. As she looked over she noticed a familiar face had come to join them. Jasper, being rather confused about being able to smell Emma in two places at once, had come to investigate and he wasn't too keen on what he had found. The second Emma wasn't the problem, he loved Emma, and to him, bearing in mind he was a dog, the fact that there were now two of her surely just meant he would get twice the love. No, the problem was the unpleasant smell coming from the man ducked down next to her. Jasper took an instant dislike to the man because of his smell and thought it was entirely appropriate to give him a nip.

"Ouch!" Yelled Hook as he stood up to get some distance between himself and the culprit of the sharp pain in his ass. Regina immediately zeroed in on the commotion and was entirely shocked at what she saw.

"What the hell are you doing here Pirate?" She asked in confusion.

"Erm... he's with me." Emma said as she stepped out from her hiding place with an apologetic look on her face.

 **AN - Hi everyone, sorry it took me ages to post this. I got busy enjoying my summer holiday, I have pretty much been around the country twice in the last few weeks visiting some of my lovely friends. Sadly for me, there isn't much of my holiday left so I should soon be back to regular updates. Just one last trip to the shire of my birth and then it is back to the millstone for me.**

 **As always peace and love to all, thanks for sticking with me and thanks for the lovely comments, they really do make my day. I hope you are enjoying life, wherever you are.**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Summer is over. The perpetual drizzle is back and the heating is on. I am also back at work and curiously, it turns out that doing a full day's work is part of my creative process. After a few days of being back at work and writing seemingly endless risk assessments, I literally couldn't wait to get home and get writing again. No word of a lie, this week I actually had to write a risk assessment calculating the likelihood of a child getting their arse nettled whilst taking a pee in the forest. Welcome back Camp Lonestar!**

Chapter 19

"Emma!" Regina exclaimed with wonderment. She took a few steps towards the older version of Emma but Hook quickly jumped into action and placed himself in front of the blonde with his good hand placed on the hilt of his cutlass.

"Not another step witch, I'm here to thwart your evil plan." Hook proclaimed, standing up to his full height and defensively sticking out his chest. Both Jasper and Young Emma immediately stepped in front of Regina and the latter adopted a stance not so dissimilar to that of the strange and unkempt man standing before her. To say that she was confused by the appearance of her older self and a weird looking dude with an actual sword would be an understatement, but she didn't care about that. Not when Regina was being threatened.

The former Queen looked at the Captain and immediately recognised the desperation of someone who was in painful turmoil. In times past, she would have delighted in goading him, but in that moment she recognised that not only would that be cruel, it would also be quite dangerous in his current frame of mind.

"I assure you that I have no evil plan, I'm just here to fulfil her wish." Regina said calmly whilst slowly trying to move the youngster before her out of harm's way.

"Lies! You see Swan, she is not to be trusted." He said while lifting his hand to emphasise his words. Is he did Regina quickly flicked two fingers in an attempt to make his weapon fly from its sheath and out of harm's way. It twitched slightly but remained within his grasp. Regina realised to her horror that the magic she had used earlier must only have been a temporary side effect of the magic used to bring older Emma's consciousness into the past.

Hook must have felt the weak pull of magic as it tried to rid him of his weapon because at that moment, he looked down at his cutlass with a sense of urgency. Realising it was still there he once again lifted his gaze to the former Queen.

"Your magic is weak here!" He exclaimed triumphantly. "Who is going to defend you now, bitch?" He asked while resuming his advance upon her. Within a heartbeat, young Emma had once again stepped in front of the older woman as Jasper growled out a warning.

"Move aside little one." He said, almost kindly. "She needs stopping once and for all."

"No, I won't." The youngster replied. "I don't know who the hell you are but you will not hurt her." She stated assuredly.

"Killian, please..." The older version of the blonde implored from behind him. "Stop this, this isn't you anymore."

"I'm doing this to save you Emma, both of you." He said taking a step back and turning to face the woman he loved. "I need you to see the truth. I am the one that loves you, not her."

Emma sighed as she steeled herself in preparation for the difficult and long overdue conversation she knew she needed to face. For his part, the Captain seemed to calm down a little now he had Emma's attention.

"I know that you believe you love me, Killian." She said softly. "But things haven't been right between us for a while, you must have felt that."

Hook had indeed felt that. But he wasn't ready to admit it. It was far easier to believe that she was under a spell because the alternative was that she genuinely was breaking up with him.

"No Swan." He begged, sensing what was coming. "Please don't do this. Our love is true, it has to be."

"Can you honestly tell me that you think our relationship was a healthy one?"

Hook seemed slightly taken aback by the question. Truth be told he hadn't ever put any thought into whether it was or it wasn't. From his point of view, their relationship was perfect. After all, he got a pretty and compliant girlfriend who's salary as Sheriff was more than enough to provide him with as much rum as he wanted. He got a warm house to sleep in and he got reasonably frequent sex (even if it did take some persuasion sometimes).

"It works." He stated simply. "Don't throw it away."

"It may have worked for you. But I was miserable." Emma paused as she registered the look of shock on Hook's face. "Look," she started, her tone of voice noticeably gentler, "I'm not saying that is your fault, if anything, it was mine. I wasn't happy and I wasn't brave enough to say anything. I do love you Killian, but not the way you want me to." She paused again as she saw his face change to one of pure anguish. "I'm sorry but I think it's time that we were finally honest with each other."

"I have been honest with you." He said sadly.

Emma briefly looked over towards Regina and as their eyes met, a spark of understanding flashed between them. Emma needed to do this alone.

"I think that maybe we should give you both some privacy, come on Emma." Regina said steering the youngster away and towards the jetty. The teen went without protest as she too had sensed the older woman's need to face this sensitively and without an audience.

Jasper, however, was not moving. He didn't trust this stranger one bit and there was no way he was leaving Emma alone with him. Emma delicately took hold of the Captain's Hook and led him over to the upturned canoe that lent itself as the perfect place to sit and talk. When they were settled they both sat in silence for a while looking out over the lake, neither one knowing where to start or what to say once they had.

"You just need some time, that's all my love. You are just scared of opening yourself up to love." Killian finally said.

"You are right in a way, I was scared of opening myself up to love and that fear led me to do things that I am not proud of. I'm sorry Killian..." She said sincerely as she turned to face him. "I have been hiding the truth for a long time now. Not only from you but from myself as well. I wasn't brave enough to say it before but I am now, I am in love with Regina. There is no evil plan and I'm not under a spell, I truly love her."

"If that is true then why were you with me in the first place, why did you agree to marry me? I just don't understand Emma." He said beseechingly.

"There is no easy answer to that. I think a part of me thought that I was doing the right thing. By complying and doing what everyone wanted me to do then maybe I could make everyone happy and then I wouldn't have to be alone anymore." She sighed as a lone tear fell down her cheek."Having a loving family was a dream I never thought would become a reality for me. When it finally did I just wanted to hold onto that as tightly as possible. Do you have any idea how often I was sent away as a child, sent back to the home because I wasn't the way people wanted me to be? I was too distant or too defiant or not normal enough..." She trailed off as the memories hit her like a tidal wave. Hook remained quiet as Emma took the time to find her train of thought again. "I just didn't know how to tell everyone that I'm not the perfect Princess everyone was expecting. How could I tell my mother, a woman who waited twenty-eight years to meet me, that I have no interest in finding my own Prince Charming? How could I tell her that I wanted to be with the Queen instead? Her former Stepmother and arch nemesis. I honestly thought she would disown me and a knew I couldn't have survived the heartbreak if she had. So I tried to forget. I tried to convince myself that I wasn't attracted to her. With you, I managed that for a while."

Hook sat quietly as he digested Emma's words. What must it have been like to live with the belief that she could never be herself, not if she wanted the love of her family? Suddenly the true sadness of the whole mess hit him. He no longer needed to cling to the belief that magic was involved, he realised that if it was, it would not be making Emma admit to her deepest and most painful truths. He did love her and he knew her well enough to know that she wouldn't be opening herself up to all of this pain unless she was genuinely trying to explain her actions. To help to right her perceived wrongs. This realisation was enough to help him see that the pain he was feeling wasn't the only pain involved. She was hurting too.

"I'm sorry that you felt that you needed to do that." He said, because he was genuinely sorry she had felt she needed to hide her true self.

"Don't." She said sadly, "Please don't apologise to me, I hurt you remember?"

"You did, but I see now that it wasn't through malice." He said, lifting his hand to wipe away the tears that were now freefalling down the Saviour's face. "You deserve to be happy, you know." Those words elicited an audible sob from Emma as she processed his acceptance.

"I really do care for you Killian, a lot. When you aren't being an old-fashioned dick you are great fun and an excellent drinking partner." He smiled as he let out a choked laugh. He could have taken the insult personally but he knew that it was partly true. Some of his ways were a little old-fashioned, after all, he was several hundred years old.

Just then, they were interrupted by laughter coming from the water twenty metres away. They both looked over to see that Regina and young Emma were messing around on some paddle boards that had been left out for the morning sessions. As they splashed around and howled with laughter it was patently clear how much the pair enjoyed each other's company. Both Emma and Hook smiled as they watched them play.

"She seems happy." Hook said nodding towards the younger blonde.

"She is." Emma said with a smile.

"I'm happy for you." He said softly. Emma smiled gratefully and nodded in response.

"Thank you." She said before they both returned to silence for a few more minutes. "What will you do now?" Emma finally asked.

"Well," he said straightening himself up. "There is a new barmaid at Aesop's that has been giving me the eye, I may go and see what she is up to later." He said with a wink. He wasn't fooling either of them, it was going to take a while to get over Emma Swan and they both knew it. He then started to reach for something in his pocket, when Emma scowled in question he opened his hand to show her the vial containing the Sands of Time.

"Is this how we got here?" She questioned with curiosity. "What is it?"

"These are the Sands of Time, just a few grains of the blue sand will return the user to their own time." He answered uncapping the bottle and taking a pinch. "I'm going to go now. I'll tell your parents that you are safe." He handed the rest of the bottle over to Emma as he began to raise his hand above his head. "Go to her." He said with a pained smile.

"Thank you Killian." Emma said as she pulled him into one last hug.

"I really do love you, you know?" He whispered with a tear in his eye.

"I know." Emma breathed back as he took a step away from her and disappeared into the portal the sand created as he sprinkled it over himself. Emma took a moment to stare at the space he had just occupied as Jasper barked in surprise.

* * *

After Regina and Young Emma had taken their leave of the new arrivals, they had headed over to the lake, as was their original plan. The teen had found that Regina had been unusually quiet and distracted as she kept looking over to towards the pair sitting on the canoe. They were supposed to be swimming but instead, Emma spotted the paddle boards and couldn't resist a bit of fun.

"Come on, she will be ok. Jasper will look after her." She said as she launched her board into the water. Reluctantly, Regina followed her. She knew deep down that older Emma didn't need protecting, especially from a lovesick pirate. She watched as the youngster paddled around her in circles for a while trying to make her laugh. After a while, her curiosity got the better of her and her attention once again turned to the lakeshore.

Emma understood Regina's anxiety. After all, the woman she loved was sitting talking to her rejected ex-lover a mere twenty metres away. She understood alright, but that didn't mean she was going to let the older woman sit there and brood. She stopped paddling as she was behind her and quietly slid into the water. As quietly as possible, she made her way over to the brunettes board and when she had reached her target she quickly flipped it over sending the other woman into the water. With a scream, the brunette resurfaced just as Emma pulled herself up onto the board and started to paddle away. With a lunge, Regina grabbed the board and repaid the blonde the same favour. When Emma finally surfaced she couldn't contain the howl of laughter within her, the pair laughed loudly as they both remounted their boards and made their way towards the shore, splashing each other all the way.

When they had eventually managed to pull their boards out of the water and line them back up with the rest they both settled on a nearby bench.

"I'm a so confused right now." Emma quietly confided after finally deciding the moment was right to confess her confusion.

"That is entirely understandable give the circumstances," Regina answered compassionately. "I'll try my best to answer any questions you have if that helps."

"Thank you." She paused not knowing if she really wanted to know the answer to her next question. "Who was that man she is with? He seems... desperate."

Regina looked pained as she thought up an appropriate response. After a short while, she finally opened her mouth to answer. "I imagine he probably is Emma. That is Killian Jones, up until very recently he was engaged to be married to your older self."

"I was going to marry him?" She asked in disbelief. "A guy?"

"Yes, you were." Regina said kindly.

"But I don't understand, I'm gay. Aren't I?" She questioned. "I mean, I sure as hell feel gay when I am around you." She admitted shyly avoiding eye contact.

Regina couldn't help but laugh a little at the teen's admission. "Contrary to this worlds common held belief Emma, you don't have to pick a side. Just be yourself and love who you love. I'm certain that at some point you found the Captain attractive on some level."

"Maybe, I guess." She conceded with an uncertain frown. She didn't know the man who had appeared on the beach not long ago, and nor could she fathom why her older self would have chosen him over Regina. Still, she was sure she must have had her reasons. Reasons that she didn't have time to dwell on as a voice interrupted from behind.

"Hey." They both turned to see that Emma's older counterpart had come to join them.

"Hey." Regina greeted Emma with the most beautiful smile the blonde had ever seen. In a flash, the former Queen was on her feet and standing before her beloved with a look of total reverence upon her face. "I didn't expect to see you for another few weeks," Regina said, not once breaking eye contact. "Not that I'm complaining." She added almost shyly.

"You have Killian to thank for that." Emma replied with a sad smile. She was thrilled to be here on camp and standing before the woman that occupied most of her waking thoughts, but she was also sad about the conversation she had just had.

"How did it go?" The brunette asked delicately.

"Ok I guess, he's gone back to our time." The older blonde answered sadly. "He is hurting because of me, it was hard to see that. I didn't want to hurt him."

Regina smiled at Emma understandingly as she reached out to touch her arm in support. Emma briefly smiled back before lowering her gaze to where the brunette was rubbing her thumb over her forearm. This simple gesture of comfort immediately soothed Emma's residual feelings of guilt following her talk with Hook. The brunette's touch felt like heaven as the rest of the world seemed to melt away as she found herself looking into chocolate coloured eyes. Teenage Emma looked on awkwardly as the pair stood, lost in each other's gaze.

"What's weird." The older Emma eventually said.

"What is?" Regina asked, curious as to what Emma was referring to.

"No scar." She said lifting her hand to the other woman's face, gently rubbing her thumb over the area of her lip that she was so used to seeing marked.

"Scar?" Asked Teenage Emma out of curiosity. The older blonde reached out and took hold of the teen's hand and brought it up to Regina's face. She gently took her index finger and lightly traced it over the spot on the brunette's top lip where the mark should be.

"She has a scar, just here. It's strange to see her without it." She explained. For a moment Regina closed her eyes and allowed herself to be overtaken by all things Emma Swan. She had longed for her touch since they had first met and now, here she was with the attention of two versions of her. After allowing herself a moments indulgence she snapped out of her bliss to address Emma's comment.

"Well technically, this isn't my body. Although it is very similar. I'm only borrowing it for the duration of the wish."

"Thank the god's for that," Emma replied. "You look much better with it." She said with a wink.

"No fair!" Young Emma whined playfully. "You can't say things like that when I can't see for myself." She started to lean towards her other self to give her a playful nudge just as her wet clothes made her shiver.

Older Emma laughed and missed her younger versions discomfort as she reached into her back pocket for her phone.

"Maybe you can see." She said tapping in her security code. Before she could finish Regina gently reached out for her hand and began to speak.

"Come on you two. You can do that later." Regina announced. "You need a warm shower." She said gesturing towards the teen, "And you, I'm sure, need feeding." She said, turning her attention back to the older version. "We can all talk more back in the cabin."

 **Another AN: I'm sorry if this didn't play out the way you guys wanted it to. I know there isn't a lot of love for Hook in the SQ camp but I felt it was kinda important to do this right and not go with the usual "Emma realised he was a twat and never saw him again." Don't get me wrong, that totally works for some stories, and I LOVE those stories. I just felt that I had spent quite a bit of time exploring the reasons behind the decisions Emma and Hook had made and wanted to give them proper closure. How gutted would you be if you were in a relationship with Emma and really loved her and one day she just said: "Yeah, sorry but this has all meant nothing to me." I'd be destroyed and I think Hook would be too. Plus Emma is a good person and I don't believe she could do that to anyone. Even Hook. Justification over, just for suffering that I may just include some sexy times in the next chapter. We shall see what my muse has to say about that.**

 **Peace and love to all :)**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

When the three of them - four including Jasper - walked into the cabin, the older version of Emma couldn't help but take a moment to absorb the beauty of it. The memories she had received from her younger self really had done the place justice, it was truly stunning and to see it for herself was utterly breathtaking. The light bouncing off the surface of the water cast its reflection all around the open plan lower level, creating a shimmering, almost ethereal effect. It was absolutely mesmerising.

A few moments passed before Emma registered something nudging her right hand, as she looked down to investigate, she saw the happy face of her furry friend looking back up at her. Without hesitation she lowered herself down to her knees where she began to fuss the very over excited ball of fluff. Before she could get too carried away she heard an amused laugh coming from behind her.

"I see you will have no trouble entertaining yourself whilst we get dried off." Regina said with a smile.

"I think we'll manage." Emma said smiling back. "Won't we buddy?" She asked as she buried her face in the fur around Jaspers neck. When he let out a happy bark she laughed at his enthusiasm. As she stood herself back up she turned to face the pair that were looking back at her in quiet awe. The look on both of their faces surprised Emma a little, she wasn't used to being looked at in such a way, not since her early days in Storybrooke when her son had looked at her like she was a character from one of his comic books. At that time the look had made her feel rather uncomfortable, she thought it was inevitable that she would let him down and she dreaded how he would look at her then. But she hadn't let him down, to him she was every bit the hero he thought she would be and over time, that look had morphed into something else. Pure love.

She understood the look from the teen, she got it entirely. To her she was the living embodiment that everything was going to be ok. She could look at her and see that there was some hope in her future. Yes, she totally understood the teens look of amazement. Regina's however was harder to understand. She had seen brief flashes of a similar look over the years but nothing like this. She couldn't understand why the brunette was looking at her with such intensity but by the Gods did it make her heart sing.

"I'll errr... I'll get the food started." The older blonde finally said shaking herself from her thoughts.

"Since when do you cook Swan?" Regina asked her in surprised jest.

"Since you taught me, your Majesty." She teased back with a cheeky glint in her eye as she bent her knee to the currently rather un regal looking woman in front of her. Regina immediately laughed before steeling her features and pulling herself to her full height, raising her chin so she could look down her nose at the woman before nodding her assent at the blondes display of fealty. Regina laughed again as Emma attempted a ridiculously over stylised curtsey.

"I see your Highness." Regina teased back, earning an eye roll from the reluctant Princess.

"Your Majesty?" Young Emma enquired with a smile. She was very much enjoying the playful nature of the older women's interactions. Just as Regina turned to look at her, another shiver ran through her body instantly snapping the brunette into what the sheriff immediately recognised as 'Mom mode'.

"That can wait. Shower, now young lady." The brunette commanded as she began steering the youngster towards the stairs. Young Emma seemed somewhat reluctant to go as she looked back at her older self with an almost scared look in her eye. Older Emma knew straight away what the problem was. She was scared that she was going to leave whilst she was away.

"Don't worry kid, I'm not going anywhere just yet." She reassured as her younger self seemed to relax a little and allowed herself to be ushered up to her shower. Emma watched as the pair went, smiling broadly as Regina looked back at her with the same look as earlier.

Twenty minutes later the older blonde was nearly done making grilled cheese sandwiches for the three of them when she felt a familiar presence behind her, she knew who it was immediately, she always knew when Regina entered a room.

"Hey there." Emma said happily as she continued to concentrate on her work.

"Hi." Regina replied whilst taking a step closer to where Emma stood. The blonde noticed the movement behind her and turned her head to see the other woman smiling as she tentatively reached out to touch her. Before her hand reached her back Regina paused and lifted her gaze to seek out the beautiful blue green eyes she knew she could gaze into for hours. Emma knew instinctively why she had paused, ever the gentlewoman she was waiting for permission to touch her. In that moment, with that tiny gesture - a consideration no one else in her whole life had ever afforded her - the blonde realised the true depth of her feelings for the former Queen. Without hesitation she nodded her consent.

Not a moment later she felt strong arms wrap around her waist as a nose nuzzled into her golden curls and took a deep breath, spurring its owner to release a deep appreciative hum. The timbre and low vibration of that sound shot straight down Emma's spine to between her legs. She relaxed into the embrace and let her head fall back and slightly to one side to accommodate the other woman's touch. She hummed herself as she smiled up towards the ceiling.

"I can get used to this." She said playfully. "I really like this affectionate side of you."

"I can get used to you getting used to this." The brunette replied whilst gently rubbing her hands up Emma's sides. Just as Regina is about to kiss the wonderfully soft and downy hairs at the nape of the blondes neck the pair were pulled from their moment when they heard the thunderous approach of the excited teen from the floor above.

"So that's where our son gets it from." Regina quipped as the blonde tornado that was teenage Emma jumped the last few steps and skidded into the kitchen.

"What did I miss?" She said, eyeing up the position the other two women were in with a tiny hint of annoyance.

"You didn't miss a thing." Regina replied with a chuckle whilst stepping away from the older version to address the youth. "Are you warm now?" She asked whilst feeling the temperature of her skin. "Are you hungry?" She continued before the teen could answer the first question.

"Yes, and Yes" She replied with a cheeky grin, soaking up the attention she was receiving.

"Good." Her older self said whilst picking up the plates the sandwiches were now on and making her way over to the table. "Grilled cheese anyone?"

Young Emma smiled happily as she went to take her seat and dug into the stack of sandwiches before her. At first it seemed that her earlier excitement at her older selves presence had given way to feeling a little overwhelmed as she sat quietly and ate. After a few minutes though she began to relax a little and between bites she began to ask her older self questions about her life up until now. They talked a little about some of the places Emma had lived in her early twenties and what it had been like when she had first discovered she had magic before they had got to the subject of how she found her way into the past. Emma had shown the pair the small bottle containing the Sands of Time and passed on the little information she knew about how it worked.

After they had finished eating they had worked together to tidy up and then relocated - along with Jasper - to the large corner couch. Eventually young Emma had worked up the courage to bring up one of the bigger subjects that had been playing on her mind.

"Tell me about Henry." She said almost hesitantly. "Tell me how he came to have two mothers."

Regina looked supportively over to Emma as the blonde paused for a moment to gather her thoughts, ever since she had been dragged into the past she had known this conversation was coming but she still had little idea just how to explain to her younger self the events that had led to her making the decision to give her son away. The subject still brought her great pain, even after six years of being back in Henry's life. He may very well have forgiven her for the decisions she had made when she was seventeen but if truth be told, she wasn't sure she could ever forgive herself. She knew she had made the best decision, a decision that helped shape him into the wonderful person he had become and led her back to her family and now a future filled with love and happiness. That didn't change how difficult that decision had been in the first place though. Nor did it change the ten years of pain she had endured without him in her life.

"Ok, but before I tell you, you need to know that some of the details may be upsetting to hear. I'm sorry to say that for a while to come your story isn't a happy one."

"I want to know." The teen said resolutely.

"I met Henrys father not long after I had aged out of the system. I tried to steal the car he was sleeping in. We got on straight away, he was kind and he looked out for me, you know?" The youngster nodded, sensing that her older self needed her understanding. The truth was that she didn't know, not really. The only person who had ever looked out for her up until now was Ria or well, Regina. Seemingly happy with the acceptance, her older self continued her tale. "Well... One thing led to another and I got pregnant. Only I didn't find out until a few months later. One day he realised that the police were onto him for a crime he had committed before meeting me and instead of taking the heat he fitted me up for it and skipped town whilst I got sent to jail. It was there that I discovered I was pregnant. I felt so alone and heartbroken. When Henry was born I still had several months of my sentence left and no family on the outside who could take care of him for me. At that time, I honestly believed that I had no other option but to put him up for adoption."

"No!" Exclaimed Emma's younger self. "I would never do that. How could you?" She asked with tears in her eyes. She had honestly never thought about having a child of her own but now that she was thinking about it she knew that if she did, she would love that child with her whole heart and soul. Her childhood had been truly awful, she would never allow a child of hers to experience what she had gone through. She needed to hear more, to understand why she had made the decisions she apparently had.

"I didn't want to, the god's know that I didn't, but I believed at the time that I was giving him his best chance." Emma continued. "He was so small and perfect, it absolutely broke my heart but I knew the best chance he had at a good life was to let him go, to relinquish my rights as his mother. Then he could go straight up for adoption, straight to a family who wanted to love him. I just couldn't bear the thought of him being thrown in the system until I got out and found a way to get on my feet and care for him properly. That could have taken me years, it did take me years. I didn't want him to go without love for one minute more than he had to."

Regina looked on with a heavy heart as Emma laid bare her reasons for the choice she had made all those years ago. To hear her explain it now was truly heart breaking. It was something that they had never talked about in any length. She had sensed that the topic was too painful to enquire about and she could see now that she had been right. Emma had loved him right from the very start and she'd had the immense courage to demonstrate that by giving him up. Regina felt greatly humbled that the powers that be had chosen her to care for Henry, to give him the love that Emma had so desperately wanted him to find.

"A few days after he was born I adopted him." Regina said softly, realising that Emma couldn't say anymore at the moment. "I couldn't have children of my own and it was something I had always dreamt of. Oh Emma, he was so perfect. I loved him from the first moment I saw him and I have loved him every moment since." Older Emma instinctually reached her hand out for the brunette, she knew the truth of the words she had just spoken, she always had but to hear them now, at a time when she was feeling so emotionally vulnerable was like a balm for her soul.

As angry as the younger Emma was at the knowledge that her older self had give her child away, it did sound to her like she had done it for all the right reasons. She looked on as the other two found solace in the simple act of holding each other's hand. She saw then the incredible bond the two women had and it made her both happy and sad at the same time. Happy to see proof that one day she will have that but sad because as she watched them get closer, she felt Regina was moving further away from her and that felt almost like a physical pain. She desperately tried to swallow that down as she voiced a question she couldn't leave unasked.

"Is he happy? Did we do the right thing?"

"He is happy, yes. I believe that we did the right thing, if we hadn't then he wouldn't be the person that he is today, and I wouldn't change that for the world. I also wouldn't have met this one." She said looking over at Regina. "She has played a huge part in me getting my life back together, without her I'm not sure where I would be." She looked on as the teen looked back at her sadly. "Our decision is going to hurt for a long time kid. But it was the right thing to do."

The youngster was starting to feel so lost, she felt like her whole life was starting to unravel. In her mind she had finally found a reason to look forward. A few days ago, before learning of Ria's true identity, she had believed that she had finally found someone who truly cared for her, and where as that may be true, the future she had imagined for them both - keeping in touch until she was a little older when they could finally be together - was now not possible. Not for a long time to come anyway. Place on top of that the discoveries she had just made about her near future, she was feeling emotionally exhausted. She thought that perhaps hearing more about her son would buoy her up.

"What does he looks like?" She asked.

"I'll show you..." Emma said as she pulled her phone free of the confines of her jeans.

"What is that?" The teen questioned.

"It's a phone. It's a camera too, I have pictures..." She said opening her gallery to select a recent shot of Henry. She found one and zoomed in so that his smiling face filled the screen. "Here..." She handed the phone over to her younger self who took it gladly as she stared intently at the image.

"Wow." She quietly exclaimed, looking at the picture in wonder. "This is him, our Son?" She questioned in disbelief.

"Yeah." Emma replied with a smile.

"He looks so... so..." She broke off, not knowing how to finish what she had started saying. He looked so what? So nice? Normal? Perfect? To her he looked like all of those things. Was it weird to feel this way about someone she had never met, someone who didn't even exist yet?

"Sometimes I look at him and I'm in total awe of what I managed to create. He is amazing, I, WE made that."

"Wow." The teen yet again answered as she instinctively turned to Regina for support, curling into her side as she studied his face. The brunette immediately put her arm around her and pulled her in close whilst dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "I wish I could meet him." She said with a smile.

"I think he would get a kick out of meeting you too." Emma replied as she looked on as her younger self studied the phone. "There are lots of pictures on there, here, let me show you how it works." She reached over to demonstrate how to use the zoom and scroll through the other images. The ones they were looking at had all been taken the previous week when herself and Henry had gone out to lunch with her parents.

"Who are these people Henry is hugging?" She asked curiously as she zoomed in closer to a picture of Henry sitting between Snow and David with his arm around them both.

"Oh." Older Emma said sheepishly. She knew she should have mentioned them before but she honestly hadn't known how to broach the subject. She suddenly felt very guilty that she hadn't tried harder. "That is Snow and David, they are Henry's Grandparents." She paused as the teen looked back at her in confusion. "They are our parents."

The youngster looked back at the picture on the screen in shock. They couldn't possibly be her parents, they looked too young for that. Then she remembered that they lived in a place where magic existed. They looked a similar age to Regina and she knew that she had been alive for over sixty years. No, it couldn't possibly be true. But why would her older self lie to her, especially about something like this. She looked again at the picture and started to notice the family resemblance.

"You, you found them?" She gasped as she jumped up from the couch. She couldn't believe it. Her whole life she had been desperate to meet these people, to know where she came from and why they had abandoned her by the side of that road. Her older self must have known about that need within her and yet she hadn't said a thing about finally finding them.

"Yes." Older Emma said simply as she stood and tried to reach out for the teen.

"Don't fucking touch me!" She shouted as she stumbled backwards to avoid the comfort her older self was desperately trying to offer her. She couldn't comprehend what she had just been told, she could feel herself getting lost in the raging tempest that was her own mind. She needed air and space and so without another word, she made a bolt for the door.

 **AN: Yes, I know. Loads of emotional stuff and no smut, not what you were expecting. Sorry chaps but I've had a kidney infection and have been feeling thoroughly miserable. Plus I've decided that it's important that Regina is back in her own body when they finally get to being physical. That is going to be soon, I promise.**

 **Thank you for the great response to the previous chapter. It was so nice to hear some of your thoughts on the matter and thank you all for sticking with me throughout this tale. Without you guys I would have probably given up by now and spent the many hours I spend on this in the pub instead. Me and my liver are very grateful ;)**

 **Peace and love to all.**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Emma ran.

She ran out of the cabin and headed straight for the path that led around the lake. She ran so hard and so fast that after only ten minutes she came to a crashing halt next to an outcrop of rock by the water's edge. She couldn't run anymore but she figured she could climb so she kept moving, making her way up to the top where she sat and caught her breath whilst looking out across the water. She became so lost in her thoughts that it took her a little while to realise when twenty minutes later, she was no longer alone. She realised that she could feel a familiar presence somewhere nearby, and she sat in silence as Regina began the climb up to her position.

"Hey." Regina said gently. Emma was not at all surprised that the brunette had found her so quickly, a part of her felt that now they were in each other's lives, they would always be able to find each other, no matter what. Regina made her way up onto the outcrop and when she finally got to the top, she sat herself down next to the forlorn figure staring out across the lake. "Are you ok?" She asked, mirroring Emma position. The teen shot her a quick sideways glance. "Stupid question, I guess." Regina conceded as she allowed the silence between them to settle in the hopes that Emma would be able to open up to her. Her patience paid off a few minutes later when the young blonde finally began to talk.

"It's just a lot to take in, you know? I know I asked, I know she tried to warn me, but I never could have guessed she was going to tell me that." Emma said sadly.

"You are right, it is a lot. I'm sorry." Consoled the concerned brunette.

They fell silent again as they both stared back out across the water, temporarily lost in their own thoughts. Regina's heart broke for the astonishingly wonderful soul seated next to her, possibly for the first time ever she truly grasped the full weight of her part in the blondes abandonment in this realm. If it hadn't been for her unyielding need for revenge then this beautiful creature would have grown up surrounded by the love of a whole kingdom, she wouldn't have had to suffer the way she clearly had and would continue to.

Regina was not one for regrets, she had said as much in Neverland when facing Pan and she had meant it. By and large she did not regret her actions because they ultimately led her to her son. But in that moment, sitting on top of that rock with one of the casualties of her choices, she felt it. She wished to the gods that Emma didn't have to suffer like this.

"I just... I can't even begin to figure out how I feel right now." Emma said, bringing Regina back into the moment. "I was so excited to meet her. I saw her and I thought "Wow, maybe I will be ok." She is everything I thought I would never be you know? Happy and settled. I want to be her so bad."

"You will be sweetheart, someday. She is you remember?."

"Someday." Emma briefly pondered. "That's the thing. Someday I'll be her. Someday I will get my son back. Someday I will meet my parents. Someday you will love me. What about now? What have I got?"

"I love you now, with all of my heart Emma." Regina quickly affirmed.

"I know you do. I feel it, I really do. But you don't love me like you love her. I see the way you are with her, the way you light up when she is near. I want that."

"You will have it my love. You just need to believe and stay strong."

"I'm just not sure that I can do that Regina." She said as tears of frustration began to fall down her cheeks. "Soon you will be gone and this will all feel like a dream. I will have to go back to my shitty life and give up my son and you won't be there to make it better. I'm going to be on my own and miserable for what, ten years? It's too hard!" Emma shouted whilst trying to put some distance between the two of them. The ledge they were sitting on was only really big enough for their current seating arrangement and Regina knew that if the teen moved much more she was likely to fall off so she grabbed her and pulled her close. In her anger Emma tried to pull away but the older woman continued to hold on tight. After a little while she felt the blonde begin to relax into her arms as she finally let go of her anguish and sobbed heavily into her shoulder. There they sat for a long time as Emma let out her pain and Regina tried her best to soothe her. The blonde held on tight as she absorbed the care and love she was finally receiving in her time of need thanks to a little bit of magic. She began to wonder if maybe with it's help, things could work out after all. That thought gave her an idea.

"You are here to grant my wish right? Well I have a new one. I wish I could see into the future, to see what I have to look forward to."

"Sweet heart, I..." Regina began to say but faltered. She wished she could grant that, she could see how much the youngster needed that hope but she didn't think it was possible. She wasn't a fairy and her magic was very week here. She desperately wanted to give her this but she just couldn't think of a way.

"Please, I need to see why I should keep fighting. Show me our life Regina. I need to see it to give me the hope I need to carry on. If I have that then maybe I will have the strength to keep going and wait for you."

Suddenly an idea came to the brunette, maybe there was a way after all.

"I have an idea, come with me." She said, and with that the pair made their way safely down off the outcrop and back towards the cabin.

When they got there about half an hour later they entered to find Emma's older self lying on the sofa with Jasper, awaiting their return. After the teen had bolted the decision had been made that Regina should be the one to follow her. She had always been able to reach Emma when she was in the darkest of places and that ability was what the youngster had clearly needed. On hearing the door open, the older Emma jumped to her feet and was quickly greeted by a resolute Regina.

"Come on Emma, grab the Sands of Time. We are all going for a trip to Storybrooke." The brunette instructed and five minutes later, after a brief explanation of why, Jasper looked on as his humans stepped into a portal and vanished. Not being a fan of being left out, he quickly followed them.

* * *

 _Storybrooke - Main Street_

Once again, a 34 year old Emma Swan found herself being unceremoniously ejected from yet another portal. This time, to her dismay she realised she had landed rather hard on her arse in the middle of main street. Her first instinct was to locate the other members of her travelling party, she very quickly discovered her younger counterpart laying on the ground rubbing her butt in a very similar fashion to herself, she also spotted a rather confused looking black and white dog taking in his new surroundings. She could not however see Regina anywhere. Her younger self clearly realised this at around the same time as they both looked wildly around their immediate vicinity.

"Regina!" They shouted in unison as they briefly caught each other's eye. "Where the hell is she?" The teen asked her older self as she held onto Jasper for comfort.

"I don't know kid, we will find her though, I promise. This way." She said, leading her into the only place she could even consider starting her search, the Diner.

As the pair approached the door they could hear shouting coming from within. The older blonde reached out her hand and pushed the door open, revealing a scene of utter chaos within. Not ten feet away was her father and former fiancé wrestling on the floor, the former having the latter in a head lock. Her mother was dutifully encouraging her husband as Henry looked on in a pained fashion.

"Where is she you idiot, I swear to any and all deities Hook, if you have hurt her I will KILL you!" David growled as he continued to tussle with the downhearted pirate.

It was Henry who first noticed the presence of the party of newcomers, he quickly stepped over his grandfather in order to get closer to them.

"Ma?" Henry questioned as he looked at the two versions of his blonde mother standing in the doorway. Suddenly, with a burst of magic the diner fell silent as all but the young Emma and Jasper froze exactly as they were.

 _108 Mifflin Street_

When Regina regained consciousness she quickly realised two things. One, she was lying on the floor in her study and two, she was back in her own body. She could tell because as she lay there she could feel her now longer hair - her own hair - covering her face and tickling her nose. As she gingerly began to move she felt her muscles begin to protest. She felt like she had the day after she had allowed Snow to talk her into attending a spin class at the gym several months ago, to aid her in her mission to lose some baby weight (not that Regina thought she needed to, she had just created a new life for fucks sake, who gave a shit if she didn't look like a twig anymore). She had vowed there and then that spinning was a whole new level of evil and that she would never go again, and as she struggled to sit up she was reminded of that conviction.

As she dragged herself up she took note of what she was wearing, perfectly tailored black dress slacks with a white button up and deep burgundy vest. The exact outfit she had been wearing the evening she had been transported into the past. As she took a deep breath to test out her lungs she noticed how tight her clothes was around her chest, as she looked down she was somewhat taken by surprise when she was greeted by the sight of her own cleavage staring back at her. After several weeks in someone else's body and wearing sports bras and camp tee's she had near enough forgotten they did that. She couldn't resist quickly taking her boobs in her hands and giving them a quick jiggle. She smiled to herself with the silliness of her actions.

She was very quickly pulled from her musings when she suddenly felt Emma's magic spike. Ever since the Saviours magical abilities had started to manifest several years ago, she had been able to feel her magical presence. At any given moment in Storybrooke she was able, with very little concentration and shocking accuracy, to tell where Emma was and how she was feeling. Magic was emotion after all and Emma, being new to it had yet to learn how to obscure her magical signature. Hell, she didn't even know she should bother.

Regina could tell she was panicking. Something was wrong and she needed to get to her, fast. With a deep breath she mustered all the strength she could and instantly transported herself to the source of the turmoil. When the purple smoke cleared she realised she was standing in the diner with her hand on teenager Emma's back. The blonde was sitting at a table with her eyes shut so tight that she hadn't registered the silence now surrounding her. All she was aware of was a furry head on her lap and now a warm and comforting hand rubbing her back. As she began to slowly return to her senses she realised that she was safely ensconced within Regina's tender arms as the older woman whispered soothing words into her ear.

"You weren't here. I panicked." A small and vulnerable voice whispered.

"I'm here now my love. I'm sorry, I was transported back into my own body in my house."

With that Emma turned to face the woman she had learned cared for her so much. Noticing the change in her appearance, young Emma's eyes widened as she noted the perfectly made up face looking back at her. She was surprised by just how similar Regina and Ria looked but shocked to see the difference of the perfectly presented woman before her. Her longer hair framed her slightly fuller face beautifully and the deep shade of lipstick accentuated her full lips. Emma's eyes widened as they were naturally drawn down her front to the wonderfully presented cleavage straining at the buttons of the brunettes white shirt. She knew she shouldn't be looking but she just couldn't help it. She couldn't pull her eye's away from the extreme beauty that stood before her. Her mouth went dry as her body immediately started to tingle in that now so familiar way when looking at the brunette. She was utterly breathtaking.

"Emma." Regina said, trying to get her attention. "Emma." She tried a little more forcefully. Finally the teen was pulled from her thoughts as she remembered the situation she was in.

"Oh my god." She said ashamedly. "I'm so sorry for staring. You... you are so beautiful."

"Thank you Emma." The brunette answered shyly.

As Emma looked around in an attempt to stop staring at the older woman's boobs, she noticed the people paused mid action all around her. "What.. what happened?" She questioned.

"Your magic happened Emma." The brunette answered softly. "Your emotions caused a spike that has temporarily frozen the people around us. It's ok, I did it myself a few time when I was your age. This must be incredibly overwhelming for you."

"Yeah." She answered distractedly as she closed her eyes once again and took a deep breath. "I guess I panicked. What if they don't like me?"

"They will love you Emma. They already do." Regina replied earnestly.

"But what If I'm not what they expect?" The teen asked anxiously.

"Nobody expects you to be anything but yourself. I promise. Now, how about we say hello?" Regina replied with a reassuring smile.

"Ok." Said Emma as she took hold of the brunettes hand. "Stay with me though?"

"Always. Who would you like to meet first?" Regina enquired.

"My son." Emma answered without hesitation, she took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves. As she did Regina unfroze the other Emma. The sheriff blinked a few times as she registered the shift in her younger selves position and Regina's sudden appearance.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Your younger self got a little overwhelmed and accidently froze the room." Regina answered calmly. It was only then that the older Emma finally noticed that no one else was moving.

"I can do that?" She asked with genuine surprise and wonder.

"Yes dear, you can." The brunette replied with a laugh. "We are about to unfreeze everyone and Emma wants the meet Henry first. Could you please run interference with your mother? Explain what's going on before she bowls over her and overwhelms her again."

"Good idea, sure thing." Emma replied, knowing full well that was a distinct possibility. She walked over to take up position next to the pixie haired brunette, ready to grab her attention when everyone became animate again.

"You ready?" Regina asked the younger blonde.

"Yeah." She breathed out nervously as her companion flicked her wrist and brought the room back to life.

"Mom!" Henry suddenly exclaimed as he saw this missing mother suddenly appear before him, standing behind a clearly younger version of his other Mom. "I am so glad to see you, I've missed you so much!" He said as he smiled fondly at her before turning his attention to the blonde. "Hi, I'm Henry." He said offering out his hand. "It's great to meet you... Emma."

 **AN: Sorry I'm losing a bit of steam on this, it will return soon I promise. It's just getting harder for me to get into Swanqueen head space at the moment. I am enjoying the possibilities of the new season, Roni is great! I'm just finding it hard to say goodbye to some of the old ideas. Moving on is not always easy lol.**

 **Peace and love everyone. Have an excellent Sunday.**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Emma!" Snow exclaimed in surprise when she saw Emma suddenly appear in front of her. "Honey, you're ok? Thank the gods!" She said as she threw her arms around her not so long lost daughter - all being told, bearing in mind Emma had been travelling through time, from Snow's perspective she had been gone for around ten minutes . "What happened?" She asked as she disengaged from the hug and pulled back to take Emma's face into her hands. Emma smiled lovingly in response as she raised her hands and gently rested them on top of her mothers.

"I'm fine, don't worry. Look who I found." She said nodding her head towards the missing Mayor and her younger self. Snow followed her eye line and was surprised to see the familiar form of her ex arch enemy.

"Is that Regina? Who is that she's with?..." She began to ask before her eyes suddenly widened as she realised who the other blonde was. "Oh my, is that her, I mean... you?"

"Yes it is." Emma confirmed as she smiled brightly. "She wanted to come and meet everyone, we figured it wouldn't hurt as she isn't going to remember this after the summer. She really wanted to meet Henry." They both looked over at the exchange occurring between the two teens, who had sat down in one of the booths and were deep in conversation. "She wants to meet you guys too."

Snow blinked as her eyes began to water. She vividly remembered the conversation her and Emma had had not so long ago about her teenage self's anger towards the world and in particular her parents of abandoning her. She was thrilled that the younger Emma wanted to meet her.

"Really? She really wants to meet us?" Snow asked desperately.

"She does, yes. Now, we haven't told her why you had to leave her yet or about the fairytale thing but she does know about magic and she had been pretty accepting of that."

"Ok." Snow nodded.

"Can you promise me something?" Emma asked cautiously.

"Of course, anything." Snow quickly replied.

"Be gentle with her. She only found out that you were both here a few hours ago. She is nervous and really scared that you will be disappointed with her."

"You know we never would be."

"I know that." Emma replied. "But she doesn't. She is still pretty uncomfortable in her own skin, she is trying to figure out who she is and some of the answers are pretty big and scary."

Snow finally pulled her eyes away from her young daughter when she registered what the older version had said."Oh honey, do you still feel that way?" She asked gently.

"Sometimes yes." Emma answered honestly. "Lately, a lot more."

"Well I hope that will change sometime soon. We love you Emma. Every little bit of you ok?" Snow reassured. "The bit that leaves your hair stuck in the drain, the bit that still sneaks into our fridge in the middle of the night even though you have moved out and the bit that loves that woman stood over there. Got it?"

"Yeah, I'm getting it." Emma laughed. "Come on, let's go and say hi."

Snow nodded before calling over to David who was still wrestling with Hook on the floor. When he saw his daughter standing next to his wife he reluctantly let go of the pirate before raising to his feet to join them both. As Snow pointed out their younger daughter and explained the situation, Emma walked over to Killian and held out her hand to help him up. Once on his feet he nodded graciously and bowed out through the back door.

When the small party of Charmings finally made their way over towards the young Emma they were confronted by two rather overexcited teenagers talking about their favourite video games. Emma was adamant that the best game ever to have existed was Goldeneye on the N64 (she was lucky enough to have made friends with a kid in her last school that had one). Meanwhile, Henry was trying his best to give her a brief rundown of the last 18 years of gaming. Regina was sat in the next booth with Jaspers head on her lap smiling at the pair, she knew that young Emma and Henry would hit it off straight away and she thrilled to have been proved correct.

Snow hadn't seen her former step mother for weeks and in that time a lot had changed. She was desperate to talk properly with her but knew that now was neither the time nor place.

"Hello Regina." Snow said softly, pulling the other woman's attention away from the teens. "I'm glad to see you back. You have been missed here."

"Thank you Snow, it's good to be back." Regina responded with an anxious smile, she was worried about young Emma's reaction to finally meeting her parents. Before she had too long to dwell on her concerns she heard the older Emma address her younger self.

"Emma, there are some people I would like you to meet. This is Snow and this is David." She said gesturing to each of them. "They are your parents."

Emma had dreamt about meeting her parents her whole life and had often considered what she would say to them if she ever did. She had thought that she wanted to tell them how much her life had sucked growing up in care. She had also thought that she wanted to tell them that she hated them for leaving her by the side of that road. But being here now and finally looking into their eyes she realised what a gift it was to have been given this opportunity. Whilst she had been talking to Henry, she had snuck a glance over towards her older self as she had been talking to her mother and had seen firsthand the love that they clearly shared for each other.

Here she was in a place filled with magic, meeting her parents for the first time, people who clearly wanted to get to know and love her. What would be the point in getting angry and wasting this opportunity?

"Erm, hi." She said shyly to them both.

"We are so pleased to meet you Emma." Snow said with fierce conviction.

"We are." Added David softly. Young Emma smiled uncertainly and quickly nodded her agreement before looking over toward Regina for support. She may be happy to meet them but she didn't really know what to say.

"I was thinking that maybe we could all have dinner together later. What do you think?" Regina quickly asked, sensing the teens unease.

"I...guess." Young Emma replied hesitantly and Snow and David nodded happily.

"Great, shall we say 7 o' clock at mine then?" The Mayor offered, thinking that her place was best suited for such on occasion.

"Actually mom," Henry interrupted. "We were thinking that maybe we could go to Emma's? She has just redecorated and she has loads of different consoles now." Regina looked over at Emma with suspicion as the blonde smiled at the idea.

During the refurb, as well as the new 60 inch 4k TV she had conjured up for her basement, she'd also treated herself to a selection of classic consoles and enchanted them to work on her new telly. She knew it was very unlikely that her son's other mother would approve but hey.

"Oh yeah, that's a great idea!" The Sheriff said excitedly. "Regina and I can cook whilst you two play. That settles it, we will see you later Mom and Dad." She said airily as she kissed them both on the cheek before leading the party of four plus one dog out of the diner and towards her newly redecorated house.

A twenty minute walk later and the group climbed the steps into Emma's house.

"Henry wasn't joking was he?" Regina said as she stepped into the house and admired the blondes handy work.

"Do you like it?" Emma asked almost nervously. She really wanted the other woman to feel comfortable in her home.

"I love it Emma!" The brunette exclaimed. "It's very you." She added with a smile. "Although, we may need to talk about the new contents of your basement."

"What? You preferred the sword in the stone?" Emma joked. "That thing has been getting in my way for months, I'm glad it's gone."

"You are so not funny Swan." Regina said affectionately as she took in the new kitchen.

"Yes I am and you know it. Come on, admit it."

"I'm not admitting any such thing." The Mayor sassed back. It felt good to be back on familiar ground with the other woman. Ever since she had appeared on camp earlier that day, there had been an almost electric atmosphere between the two of them. When they first met all those years ago, every encounter had felt like that. But over the last few years that feeling had been lost to pirates and thieves. However now it was back it felt raw and exciting and exactly how it should be. As they stood there basking in their reawakened chemistry, both of their minds were drawn to earlier, when they nearly kissed in a kitchen no so dissimilar to this one, eighteen years in the past. They both looked at each other as they realised simultaneously what the other was thinking and laughed knowingly. Just as they began to close the gap between them they heard their son calling from the basement. "Will we ever get that bloody kiss?" they both thought as they rolled their eyes and went to see what he wanted.

Upon arriving at Emma's house the teens had headed straight into the basement to the games system. Henry fired up his X-box and inserted Lego Jurassic Park, he suspected that the younger version of his Ma would love it just as much as the older one and he had been proved right. As they started playing the first level in co-op, Emma started to talk.

"This house is pretty sweet. It's cool that you get to live here." She said happily. She was happy that her older self was able to provide somewhere so cool for her son.

"Yeah, it is pretty neat. Although I only live here half of the time." Henry informed her. "When I'm not here I'm at the mansion with Mom."

"Regina has a mansion?" The young blonde asked in awe. The Regina she knew seemed much more down to earth.

"Of course she does, I honestly think she would have a castle if she could get away with it but it would look a little out of place around here." He laughed.

"Why would she want to live in a castle?" Emma asked curiously.

"Well... because she's the Queen of course."

"The Queen of what?" She laughed. Henry suddenly realised that Emma didn't know the full truth about the town. He paused the game and turned to face her.

"You don't know do you?" He asked, seeking confirmation that his suspicion was correct.

"Know what?"

"What this place really is... "

"What are you talking about?"

"Storybrooke. Most of the people that live here are fairytale characters."

"Whatever." She said as she smiled in disbelief. "You are just messing with me."

"I promise you I'm not. It's one hundred percent the truth."

"Fuck off." She said in dismissive jest.

"I'm not joking, hey Mom's?" Henry shouted up the stairs.

"Yes?" They both called back in unison as a few moments later they started to decent the stairs looking a little flustered.

"Fairytales are real right?" Henry asked. Emma and Regina instantly stopped in their tracks and looked at each other in shock.

"Yes, but we were going to try and cover that with a little subtlety." Emma finally answered looking pointedly at her son.

"What do you mean they are real?" Younger Emma asked, looking from one of her companions to the next seeking an answer.

"It's part of the magic of this place, it's why it's magical in the first place. Most of the people here have had their story told by a magical being known as 'the author'. Those tales exist in this world as what you would call fairy tales." Regina explained. "Here." She said as she waved her hand as she summoned Henry's large storybook in a plume of purple smoke. "Most people in town appear in this book. This is our story." She offered out the book for Emma's perusal. "Read this, if you have any questions then please don't hesitate to ask."

Young Emma silently took the book and sat down to make herself comfortable before she opened the first page and began to read.

Once upon a time...

An hour later, after Emma had skimmed her way through the book whilst Henry summarised each tale, she closed the last page in disbelief.

"So let me get this straight... My Mom and Dad are Snow White and Prince Charming and when I was a baby they put me in a magic wardrobe to save me from a curse being cast by an evil Queen. An evil Queen that was saved by the love of my son and that my older self is now in love with."

"Pretty much. Welcome to Storybrooke!" Henry said with a wry smile before un-pausing the game. Emma simply shook her head and carried on playing, the whole while thinking to herself 'This place is fucking nuts.'

A few hours later dinner was ready and the Charmings had arrived just in time. Emma and David were busy playing with Jasper in the back yard whilst Snow took Neal into the kitchen to see if there was anything she could do to help. Upon seeing Regina he had immediately held his arms out towards her and she didn't hesitate to take him into her arms to give him a big cuddle. Neal had always loved Regina, ever since he first laid eyes on her and truth be told Regina adored him right back. He reminded her so much of Henry at that age

"It always makes me laugh just how much my children adore you. Who'd have guessed all those years ago when you were busy chasing me around in those ridiculous outfits that all I had to do to get you off my back was have a few babies?" Snow laughed. That's how far they had come over the last few years, they could now joke about their fraught past.

"I have to admit, it's come as a bit of a surprise to me too." Regina laughed. "I just can't seem to help loving them." She paused momentarily as she realised exactly what she had just said. Whilst preparing the meal earlier, Emma had briefly told her that she had mentioned the shift in their relationship to Snow but hadn't really elaborated on that. Regina didn't want to divulge anything before Emma was ready for her mother to know. "And those outfits were not ridiculous." She quickly added, hoping to cover up her slip of the tongue.

"They were a bit ridiculous Regina." Snow said whilst raising one eyebrow, she hadn't missed it at all. She knew how her daughter felt but was relieved to hear that her feelings were returned.

"Maybe a little, but I looked fabulous in them." Regina conceded in good humour.

"There may be a little truth in that..." Snow quipped back with a smile. "Look Regina, I wanted to talk to you about something." Snow said in a serious tone, shifting to mood of the conversation immediately. She saw her former step mother visibly stiffen at her words, she knew that the brunette was very similar to her daughter in that she disliked discussing anything personal. Ordinarily Snow would just leave it but this was too big a thing to ignore. "Emma tells me that you have been doing a wonderful job of looking after her younger self on camp. I just want to say thank you for that. I Wish it could have been me but for her sake, I'm glad it was you."

Regina nodded her acknowledgment of the statement, she wished to the gods that Snow would stop there for the moment. But of course she didn't.

"When you were gone, Emma didn't do so will. She was frantic with worry until we discovered where you were. Even then we didn't see her for days. She just disappeared. Henry eventually told me that she had been sleeping in your vault." Regina raised her eyebrows at that new information and Snow was quick to jump to her daughters defence. "She missed you Regina, so much. I think she just wanted to feel close to you...Anyway, I was frantic. She eventually came to talk to me after she'd had time to think. We all know that she's not a big talker, especially not to me, so I was thrilled when she did. Apparently I have you to thank for that." Regina looked at Snow questioningly as she shifted Neal onto her other hip. "I've been waiting for years for her to open up to me. I always felt like there was something she was holding back, some part of her that she was keeping hidden from the world and it turns out I was right. She was so scared when she told me how she feels about you and that broke my heart. She has lived in fear of her feelings for years Regina. I can't even begin to imagine what it is like to grow up in a world that tells you that there is something is wrong with you for feeling the way that you feel. That on top of everything else she had to deal with. I just... I can't..." She faltered as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Hey, shhh" Regina soothed as she put an arm around the other woman.

"I need to thank you." Snow said through her tears.

"What would you possibly have to thank me for Snow? I'm as much of the reason she grew up here as you." Regina said ruefully.

"I need to thank you for being the one to finally tell her it's ok. I need thank you for loving her back, because I know that you do. Thank you so much Regina." She said with startling sincerity. Regina smiled back as she continued to rub the upset woman's back.

"You are right, I do love her. And I intend to spend the rest of my life showing her just how much. I can't change the past Snow, but I can have a say in our future."

"I'm glad to hear that." A choked voice said from the door. "Cos I love you too and that sounds pretty awesome."

"Emma!" Snow exclaimed, surprised by her daughters presence. "How long have you been stood there?"

"Long enough, come here you big softies." She said crossing the space between herself and the other two women and pulling them both into a huge hug. "Right. That's enough of that. I'm starving, let's eat."

And with that they made their way back into the lounge to shout for the teens to get ready to eat.

 **AN: I'm back and I have thankfully cheered up significantly. This Chapter is dedicated to a friend of mine who took a huge step and reached out to her estranged son. Well done lass!**

 **You guys have her to thank for this chapter getting finished as I covered her bar shift whilst she went to meet him and therefore had several hours of bugger all else to do. If I hadn't done that then I would have probably just sat in my undies watching Stranger Things lol. See you soon. Our favourite ladies just might get that kiss one day ;)**


	23. Chapter 23

**AN: I know, I know, it's been forever since I updated. The reasons involve the** **odyssey** **of a missing laptop and the ensuing county wide search. But you aren't here for that tale, you are here for this one. Quick recap for you all;**

 **Regina got magiced into Emma's past by an errant wish where she met a teenage version of Storybrooke's blonde sheriff. Regina became her mentor and eventually the youngster started to feel like she wasn't so alone.**

 **We pick up the tale after the older version of Emma Swan goes to the past and brings the Mayor and her younger self back to the future. We left them in Emma's newly decorated house, about to have a family meal.**

Chapter 22

"Henry, Emma, FOOD!" The older blonde shouted down the basement stairs.

"Very eloquent dear." Regina teased with a wink that was near enough the sexiest thing Emma had ever seen.

"I try my best." She replied with a smirk as Regina rolled her eyes at the thunderous approach of teenage mother and son up the stairs. She would have sworn to the fact that they could be heard in all of the realms.

"Moms, dinner smells amazing!" Henry exclaimed upon emerging from the basement. "Do you need us to set the table?" He asked out of habit. Having been brought us as the son of a Queen, he of course had impeccable manners.

"No thanks honey, it's already done. But thanks for asking." Regina answered with a loving smile.

Herself and the older Emma had taken care of that before Snow and David had arrived. The teens had been busy looking through the story book and the two adults had wanted to give them space to do that. Young Emma had taken an instant liking to her future son and neither older Emma or Regina wanted to get in the way of that. They had made it clear that they were on hand in case the teen had any questions, but knew she was in excellent hands with Henry. After all, he did have the heart of the truest believer. Regina trusted him wholeheartedly to tell her story fairly.

Still, she had found herself feeling quite anxious. She didn't regret her past, how could she when it had led her to where she was now? Finally in a position where she may be able to find some long overdue happiness with her son and his other mother. She was however, acutely aware that her actions had led to decisions that had affectively ruined Emma's early life. The older version of the blonde had made peace with that knowledge a long time ago but could she expect the teenager to do the same? All she could do was wait and see.

However patience was not one of Regina Mills' strong points, not today at lease and not when it came to something as important to her as the youngsters understanding, therefore she had attempted to distract herself from the growing ball of anxiety within her stomach by busying herself with the food preparation and table settings.

Older Emma of course had picked up on Regina's unease and had tried to soothe her with reassuring words and gentle touches, she soon realised however that her actions were only adding to the brunettes nervousness. Gone was the electric atmosphere of earlier, Regina was clearly stressed about the youngster learning the truth about her past. The Sheriff had briefly hoped that she could reassure the older woman with physical contact, her newly gained memories of her time on camp with Regina revealed her to be surprisingly tactile but when the blonde had reached for her, the former Queen had flinched under her tentative touch.

Emma was a little hurt by Regina's reaction, she knew that it was very early days in their relationship but she wanted more than anything to be able to comfort her love. That flinch had fired off Emma's own insecurities about being unwanted and unlovable. However the blonde gallantly fought those feelings back because she knew that that wasn't what this was about. The more she thought about the Mayors response, the more she came to realise that Regina had probably had very little experience of positive touch. She doubted her mother had shown her much affection in her early life and after moving into the King's castle Emma was pretty sure that all touch had been unwelcome.

It seemed to Emma that the older woman was ok with touch, as long as she initiated it and from what Emma had learned recently, the brunette quite frequently did initiate it. She concluded that the best thing she could do for now was follow Regina's lead and she seemed to have thrown herself into dinner prep, so she had gently backed off and concentrated on being the best kitchen assistant ever.

Emma's new kitchen had everything needed and a lot more besides, Regina was quietly impressed as this was from a woman that previously hadn't even owned a spatula. She discovered that the kitchen had a natural flow to the items locations and found it very easy to navigate. After her quick internal wobble, Emma had thrown herself wholeheartedly into helping prepare the chilli and they found that they worked extremely well together, they moved around each other perfectly like a well practiced dance and soon Emma had been thrilled to see Regina beginning to relax again.

...

As the dinner was being prepared upstairs, Henry and Young Emma had settled in to look over the large bound book that Regina had summoned with her magic. Emma was still getting used to the idea of being surrounded by magic but she had looked on in awe as the beautiful brunette she had first met as her summer camp counsellor commanded it with such grace and ease. However, as she had handed over the book, the teen had seen a vulnerability within her that she had never seen before, Emma could sense that the story told within its pages caused the older woman pain and that realisation scared her a little.

She listened intently as her son began to tell her a story. The tail was of a beautiful and sweetly innocent princess that had fallen in love with a stable boy and dared to dream of a better life away from her cruel and abusive Mother. She found that she was able to empathise with the Princess and listened on in shock as her life story was woven beautifully around her by boy with a true gift for storytelling.

She heard how the Princess's heartless Mother had tricked information out a ten year old Snow White and used it to destroy all of her daughters hopes and dreams. She heard how she had been mistreated by the King she was forced to marry and she mourned along with her, trapped in a terribly lonely and isolated existence inside a gilded cage. She feared for her when a powerful and manipulative man offered her hope again and shed a tear when that was yet again violently ripped away from her.

Emma's heart ached as the Queen made the decision to manipulate the genie into killing the King. She shuddered in fear as the Evil Queen's dark deeds where laid bare for her to hear and she cried a lonely tear when Snow White and her Prince Charming made the heartbreaking decision to put their beloved baby, Princess Emma, herself, into the wardrobe that led her to a life in the land without magic.

Finally, she celebrated in joy when she felt the beginnings of true happiness settle upon the now former Queen when her own beautiful baby boy was placed in her arms.

Now knowing Regina's true identity and all she had done during her dark days as a vengeful and evil witch, Emma found that she couldn't hate her. In fact, she couldn't help but be in awe of the wonderful woman currently cooking her dinner upstairs. The hardships her heart had endured were nothing short of horrific and yet she was still capable of such love. The life and love she had given to her child was extraordinary and because of that, and a hundred other reasons besides, young Emma found she only loved her more.

...

"Wash your hands please Henry." Regina commanded after it had been revealed that the teens were off the table setting hook.

"Yes Mom." Henry said with a smile as he made himself scarce.

"Emma, I was hoping we could talk for a moment?" Regina asked tentatively. "Did the story book help you understand why we are all here?"

"Yes." The teen replied simply with a smile.

"So you know who I am?" Regina asked in a confused tone. She had expected anger from the younger version of the Sheriff, instead she was getting smiles.

"I know who you were Regina, but that doesn't matter to me because I know who you are now and trust me, you are no evil witch. Please don't think that I could ever hate you because it's just not possible. You are phenomenal."

"But..." Regina started but she was cut off by the blonde teen.

"No but. Now excuse me, I need to go and wash my hands." She said with a wink as she made her way after Henry. Regina rolled her eyes loving as she watched her go was finally able to fully relax, relieved in the knowledge that teenage Emma hadn't rejected her now that she was aware of her true identity.

When young Emma and Henry returned from washing their hands they entered the dining room to see that everyone else had settled themselves down into their positions around the table. There was two empty seats between Regina and Neal.

"Who's the little dude?" Emma asked curiously taking the seat next to him. Snow's eyes widened in near panic, she realised that when they had first met in the diner, Neal had been napping in his buggy and therefore hadn't been introduced to his big sister.

"Erm..." Snow paused, suddenly remembering her older daughters reaction to finding out she was going to have a younger sibling. "This is your little brother, Neal." She braced herself for a negative reaction but surprisingly, none came.

"Cool." Emma replied airily as she leaned over and rubbed his tummy. The adults all shared a look, older Emma included as they looked upon the scene.

Neal was an active baby that liked to move around a lot and he certainly wasn't a fan of being restrained. He hadn't been in his high chair for long but he had already lost his patience with the confines of it. Without a second thought, young Emma gathered him up and sat back in her seat with him on her knee. He settled instantly as she began to help herself to the food, just as Henry was doing.

"You are really good with him." Snow said with a lump in her throat as she was hit with the knowledge that her two children hadn't had the chance to grow up together.

"Oh, yeah. There are usually little kids in the homes. We don't tend to have high chairs so I help feed them. It's cool." She answered like it was the most normal thing in the world. To her it was. Snow looked on with a smile at her young daughter happily interacting with her baby brother, it was a sight she never thought she would see. Just as she started to tear up David came to her rescue and broke the silence.

"Regina said that you read the book earlier. Do you have any questions for us." He asked. Emma though for a moment. She thought that the book had pretty much covered it but this man, her father clearly wanted to talk it through with her.

"So you guys are Snow White and Prince Charming right?" She finally asked.

"Yes we are." David answered with a smile.

"I can't believe that my parents are famous!" She replied with a smirk. "Oh wow, that makes me Princess Charming!" Her smirk developing into a full blown cocksure grin.

"Yes it does honey." Snow laughed as she recomposed herself and started to serve her own dinner.

There was silence for a few beats before young Emma surprised them all by saying "You did the right thing you know."

"What's that?" David asked, not daring to believe that she could be referring to what he thought she might be.

"Putting me in the wardrobe." She clarified. "If you hadn't then I wouldn't have been able to save you all. This has got to be worth it right?" She said gesturing towards every member of her future extended family.

"Only you can answer that question Emma." Snow answered gently. Both Emma's nodded in thoughtful contemplation.

...

After a while the conversation settled and young Emma found herself beginning to really enjoy the family atmosphere. Snow and Regina were lightly teasing each other at every opportunity and David was delighting in making Henry squirm as he asked him question after question about a girl named Violet. As she sat back to absorb the obvious love these people all shared for each other she noticed that she wasn't the only one doing so. The older version of herself was doing the exact same thing and when they caught each other's eye they shared an amused smirk. With a quick jerk of her head, the older blonde signalled her younger counterpart to follow her out of the room and out onto raised decking overlooking a large back garden.

"I still sometimes look at them all and think to myself how lucky I am. I didn't think I would ever have this, a family of my own, but now I do and I am so lucky. They are wonderful." Said the sheriff.

"They really are, I can feel the love in that room. I never thought it would be possible that so many people would love me and want me in their lives. Thank you for bringing me here, thank you for letting me see your life."

"It's our life." The older one clarified.

"Our life." The teen repeated with smile. As older Emma smiled back she saw a frown start to settle upon her younger self's face.

"What are you thinking." The Sheriff enquired.

"I'm thinking that eighteen years is a long time to wait." The teen answered honestly.

"I know it is, but can you see now why it's gonna be so worth it?"

"Yeah, I can." The youngster replied. "This life, your life now is everything I have ever wanted."

Older Emma pulled her younger self into a tight embrace.

"Ok, this is weird. I'm hugging myself." They both said at the same time before laughing heartliy.

...

Several hours later, after Snow and David had insisted on helping to tidy up - forcing the teens to do their part as well, the visitors finally left with happy smiles and promises of breakfast at the loft. Just as Henry and young Emma attempted to sneak back down to the basement they were caught and dispatched up the stairs to get some overdue sleep.

During the recent redecoration, Emma had finally gotten around to turning the 'Junk room' into a comfortable spare bedroom and was pleased that her younger self was going to be the first person to utilise it.

"Are you going to be alright in here?" Regina asked when she went up to the teens room to check on her a few minutes later.

"Yes, I think so." The young blonde replied. "Jasper can stay with me though right?" She asked as she looked over to the dog that had already taken up residence on the bed.

"Look at him, he isn't going anywhere." Regina replied with a laugh.

"I guess not." The teen happily replied. "Hey, do you think you could magic me up something to sleep in and maybe a toothbrush?"

"Of course." Regina answered quickly waving her hand, making a neat pile of clothes and toiletries appear on the bed side table. "Goodnight little one." She teased as she gently stroked the young woman's cheek and planted a tender kiss on her forehead.

"I'm bigger than you." Emma replied in their standard joke as she watched the brunette leave the room.

Back down stairs, after the rush and stress of the day the two women finally found themselves sitting out on the decking, each with a glass of wine in their hand. After a little while the Mayor noticed that the Sheriffs' yawns were becoming more and more frequent and it was becoming slowly obvious that it was time to head off to bed.

"It's getting late, perhaps I should be going." Regina said hesitantly. In truth, leaving was the absolute last thing that she wanted to do. Everyone she loved was in this house and there was absolutely nowhere else she would rather be. The thought of returning to a cold and deserted mansion left her feeling empty inside, but she didn't want to assume that Emma wanted her to stay just because she wanted to so badly.

"Oh." Emma replied in genuine shock. She hadn't even considered the possibility that the brunette would want to go home. "If that's what you want."

"I..." The brunette began, not quite knowing what to say next.

"Do you want to go home?" Emma asked, suddenly hopeful at the other woman's hesitation.

"No." Regina admitted.

"Good, because I really want you to stay here with me." Emma replied with a bright smile. All of a sudden she realised what she had implied and she suddenly became quite nervous as she didn't know if that was what Regina wanted yet. "No pressure though, I have another spare room or or... you can sleep in my room if you like. Whatever you're comfortable with." She rambled on as her nerves got the better of her.

"Emma." Regina said softly, trying to calm her down and bring her attention back to her. "Emma, I want to stay with you too, in your room if that's ok."

"Yeah, that's ok with me." The blonde smiled back. After a moment of happy smiles she stood up and took both of their empty wine glasses back inside the house. "Let's head up then shall we?"

Regina nodded her agreement as she followed the adorable blonde back into the house and up the stars towards the master bedroom. Regina had never been this far into the Saviours personal living space and upon entering her room she took a moment to take in the room and it's furnishings. She found herself thinking that it was really quite beautiful, and it was. It was simple and modern yet cosy and warm all at the same time. She found herself being drawn to the large bay window that was lined with rows upon rows of books above a stunningly gorgeous and inviting reading nook.

"Do you like it?" Emma asked nervously.

"I love it!" The brunette exclaimed.

"Good, because I had you in mind when I redecorated. I really hoped you would like it."

"I really do." Regina confirmed as she considered Emma's thoughtfulness.

"Do you wanna borrow something to sleep in?"

"Yes please." The brunette replied, she could of course magic some of her own clothes over but the thought of being in Emma's bed, wearing her clothes was too tempting.

"Are these ok?" Emma asked holding up a t-shirt and some tartan sleep shorts.

"Perfect." Replied the older woman as she ducked into the master bath to get changed.

Five minutes later when both women were changed and ready they both climbed under the covers of Emma's big and amazingly comfortable bed.

Emma shifted around uncomfortably at the edge of the bed as her mind couldn't help but pull her thoughts to earlier when Regina had flinched away from her touch and she again worried that she might be suggesting that they move too quickly by sharing a bed. That wasn't her intention at all. As much as she longed to touch the older woman, she wanted then both to be comfortable with that.

"Why are you all the way over there?" The brunette asked gently from the middle of the bed.

"I wasn't sure if you would want me too close. Not after earlier." The blonde admitted quietly as her insecurities reared their head again.

"What happened earlier?" Regina asked with genuine confusion.

"You didn't want me to touch you. I understand. It's ok." Emma replied with genuine understanding.

"Oh honey, no." Regina replied, finally putting two and two together. She reached out and found Emma's hand and held it tight as she continued to talk. "I'm sorry that you thought that. I don't want you to feel like you did something wrong. Because you didn't. I was just stressed about the kids reading the book. It's a terrible excuse I know, but the truth is... " She took a breath to gather her nerve "Physical intimacy doesn't always come easy to me. I guess in that moment it was all too much."

"But now is ok?" The blonde asked, looking at their joined hands.

"Now is ok." Regina answered with a reassuring smile.

"Can I hold you?" Emma asked timidly.

"Yes, you can." Regina whispered in response. With that Emma carefully scooted herself much closer to the other woman and gently reached out one of her arms to lightly wrap around the other women's small frame.

"Is this ok?"

"This is more than ok." Regina answered as she relaxed and moved in closer to the blondes side. As she did Emma instinctively pulled her in tighter and nuzzled her face into the back of the older woman's neck. Emma was in absolute heaven, she felt on top of the world now that she properly understood what had happened earlier. Although the rational side of her brain had understood that it probably had little to do with her, the young abandoned child that still lived within her had feared that it had. She relaxed as she finally put those thoughts to bed for the day and decided in that moment that having Regina in her arms was the greatest feeling in the world. Without realising it and without any motive other than expressing her own happiness she began to gently rub the brunettes stomach whilst peppering feather light kisses on the back of her neck. Regina exhaled a breathy moan that instantly got Emma's attention. She realised with a start how her hand was rubbing the soft, warm skin where Regina's t-shirt had ridden up.

"I'm sorry." She said regretfully as she pulled her hand away. "I got carried away."

"No, don't stop, please. It feels really good." Regina admitted.

"Yeah?" Emma asked, mainly to confirm that it was ok to continue.

"Yes, I... I..." Regina answered bashfully. Finally being in Emma's embrace was overwhelmingly wonderful and in that moment she was reminded how much she wanted to feel her lips against her own.

"What is it my love?" Emma prompted, unused to seeing Regina as anything less that her usual confident self.

"I really want to kiss you right now." Regina admitted in a shy and husky voice. Emma's breath hitched as she registered the words being spoken.

"I really wish you would."

Regina began to turn in Emma's arms so that they were facing each other, for a while both women just lay there looking into one another's eyes. Eventually Regina lifted her hand to Emma's cheek and as she did, she began to close the gap between them. Finally, soft lips made contact as the two shared the wonderful feeling of their first kiss. It was gentle and loving and told each woman exactly how the other felt. It was pure bliss.

 **AN: See you all soon for what comes after the kiss!**

 **Happy Snow day! We've got 20cm here (some of you may scoff but it is an event here). I'm snowed in but luckily my friend with a 4x4 just brought me some wine!**

 **This chapter is dedicated to my Mum who sadly died 16 years ago today. I'm not sure how she would have felt about a dedication in a crazy lesbian time travelling romp. She would have either loved it or hated it, either way I would have found her reaction hilariously funny lol!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Note: Before reading this you should know that its NSFW. I'm actually pretty nervous about this chapter, I have rewritten it six times in the last week. Hope you enjoy, let me know what you think.**

Chapter 24

Both women looked adoringly into each other's eyes as they basked in the wonder of the experience they had just shared. The kiss had been sweet and perfect, but it had also been a little scary. Scary because of how overwhelming right it felt and scary because of how much emotion had been conveyed through it.

Neither woman was a blushing virgin, and yet in the aftermath of that kiss they both felt like one. Nervous and excited and scared all at once.

Emma had had her fair share of sexual encounters, most after long nights of attempting to drink away the crippling loneliness she had felt throughout her life. Sometimes, she had actually enjoyed these encounters, but not often. In her experience people were only interested in their own gratification. More often than not, her nights of passion would end with her partner grunting out their release before rolling off and either falling asleep or leaving. No one had ever really taken the time to explore her wants and needs and so she had learnt to take what was offered and finish herself off after if needs be.

But lying in her bed with Regina was different somehow, it _felt_ different. The brunette was looking at her with such love and tenderness and it felt somehow like every other time she had found herself in this position mattered for nought. It felt like the slate had been wiped clean and she was back to feeling like a nervous teenager, feeling like the teenager that was currently in the room just down the hall. Just the act of finally feeling Regina's lips against her own sent her into a tail spin of possibility, wonder and desire.

She was nervous but she knew for sure that one touch wasn't enough to quench her thirst, not now that she finally got to experience the thing she didn't know she had been waiting for all of these years. As she moved in for another kiss, this time her mouth opened instinctively, intent on settling the growing curiosity she had regarding the older woman's taste. She expected smoky musk and spice, but she was in no way disappointed when her first tentative lick of the brunettes lips revealed a sweet and delicate flavour not dissimilar to the dark haired woman's favourite honey crisp apples. Emma smiled into the kiss at this wonderful revelation.

Regina's lips parted in response to Emma's gentle exploration, she too was eager to get a taste of the wonderful creature in her arms. She was not at all surprised by the subtle hints cinnamon and vanilla she found within as both sets of lips hesitantly parted and the very tip of their tongues caressed each other in a playful dance. The kiss became heated as an air of fun and mischievous teasing settled upon proceedings. Both womans excitement levels skyrocketed as they took turns trying to tease the other by pulling their tongue to the back of their own mouth, meaning the other had to work for contact.

When the need for air became too much they pulled apart, panting for breath. As they slowly began to regain their composure in each other's arms, both women began to internally question if the other is ready for anything more. There didn't need to be any more, not tonight, not ever. This was enough, this was perfect, just holding each other and sharing in this soul deep feeling of love and acceptance.

Regina too felt as if the years had been washed away. Lying there in Emma's strong arms she felt just like the teenager she had once been, along ago in the Enchanted Forest back before she had been forced into a sexual relationship with a man she in no way desired. No, she felt excited and empowered. Like she had always imagined her first time to be.

"You are so beautiful." Emma said lovingly, caressing the brunettes face.

"As are you, my beautiful girl." Regina replied with the biggest smile Emma had ever seen. She couldn't help but reflect it straight back.

"You know, I've never really felt beautiful before." The blonde confessed. "But when you say that to me. When you look at me the way you are right now. I feel it."

"Good. Because to me, you are the most beautiful person in all of the realms." The brunette said with sincerer honesty. When she saw the shy and uncertain look Emma gave in response she saw that she didn't believe her, she couldn't. In that moment she vowed to show her just how beautiful she thought she was.

Regina gently pushed Emma onto her back and slowly straddled her, all the while not breaking eye contact. This wasn't about dominance, this was about moving into the best position to worship the woman she loved.

She knew relatively little about Emma's sexual past but had picked up from the odd tipsy comment that it was something that she usually found disappointing. She wanted her to be comfortable with everything that was happening and so made her actions purposely slow in order to give the blonde time to object. When she didn't and a quick search of her eyes revealed a curious mix of desire and wonder Regina gently lowered her face down and kissed her once again.

Emma's hands lifted up to guide the brunettes body down on top of her and she hummed in approval as she finally felt Regina's hips settle above her own and the warm weight of their breasts press together. She felt grounded and sky high all at the same time.

Her nipples strained against the cotton of her tank top and she could feel the brunettes hardened peaks as they both pressed in closer to feel the evidence of the other's arousal. A hand finally glanced over one of Emma's almost painfully erect nipples and the blonde gasped as she felt the other woman gently stroke it with her thumb.

She wanted to reciprocate, she wanted to make Regina feel just as good, just as wanted as she felt in that moment but something had short circuited in her brain. It was like the stars had aligned to bring forth her desire.

Regina was intent on concentrating all of her attention on worshiping the woman beneath her. She could feel Emma's hands fumbling at her own breasts and it felt good, by the god's did it feel good but in her mind this wasn't about her. It was about letting Emma feel the love she had waited so long to feel. She disengaged the kiss and held the weight of the top half of her body up again as she reached for the hem of Emma's tank top. The blonde got the hint immediately as she shifted her weight to help Regina pull it off in one swift motion.

Emma went to repeat the act on the brunette but before she could the Mayors mouth was back on hers before beginning its tender decent down.

She kissed down her long neck and down into the valley between her firm and attentive breasts. A few moments later she felt her nipple being drawn into the warm heaven of Regina's mouth, then a few moments after that she lost all power of though as that mouth began to gently suck.

Emma was literally seeing stars, she had never been touched so reverently in all of her life, with such care and such love. Her body reacted instinctively as she circled her hips beneath those of her love in an attempt to chase the wonderful feeling of the pressure she so craved. Regina's hips pushed back as they fell into a natural rhythm all their own.

"OHHH!" Emma gasped.

"Are you ok?" Regina said in a lust coated voice as she kept up the rhythm of their glorious back and forth.

"God's yes." Was the almost delirious answer. Regina smiled as she took Emma's right hand in her left, interlocking their fingers before pushing both hands back onto the mattress to support her weight. Emma needed more, she began to increase the pace of their movement against each other. Regina felt the speed change and took that as her cue to reach her hand down in-between their still clothed lower halves and slide it beneath the loose waist band of Emma's sleep shorts. As her fingers finally found their way into slick folds Emma stilled. To be touched so intimately, by someone who's only desire in that moment was to make her feel special and loved was entirely overwhelming. Regina allowed her her moment of awe before beginning to rub light circles around her firm clit, all the while continuing to thrust her hips and hold contact.

Watching the rapt elation in her lovers eyes was enough to bring her excitement to a height she hadn't felt in years, if ever. She was doing that, she was making the blonde feel that way.

They continued their sensual dance of passion, looking deeply into each other's eyes as finally Emma whimpered as she was whipped up to the zenith of her euphoria where upon she tumbled over the edge into the depths of an earth shattering orgasm. To Regina's surprise, she fell right over with her as apparently the only additional stimulation she needed was the incredible feeling of her lover, coming by her hand as she gazed deeply into the blue-green windows of her soul.

As they held each other tightly whilst coming down from their highs, a single tear escaped down both woman's cheek, only to be caught and kissed away by the other.

* * *

The next morning in Emma Swan's newly redecorated guest bedroom the younger version of the blonde had to get up ridiculously early because Jasper needed to pee. After grumbling about the inconvenience, she threw on some clothes and made her way down the stairs to open the door that led to the back yard. She briefly contemplated following him out but she hadn't put her shoes on and who needs to watch a dog pee anyway? Instead she looked around and noticed Regina's jacket hanging on the back of one of the chairs. She realised that meant that the brunette must have stayed the night and was probably still asleep upstairs in her future self's bed. She found that idea to be rather confusing. On one level she was really happy for her older self, she herself had only known the brunette for a few weeks and she already had deep-seated feelings for her. She was delighted that the other Emma didn't have to wait any longer to be with her love, but a cold shudder ran down her spine as she realised that she was only at the very beginning of that journey.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a noise coming from the basement, it was the 8-bit intro to Sonic the Hedgehog on The Master System. Unable to resist its pull she made her way down the stairs to find Henry sitting in front of the huge tv with controller in hand and a smile as wide as a little kid at Christmas. Or at least that's how she imagined a loved child would look at Christmas, she wouldn't know.

"It's early." Emma said in greeting.

"I know but I just couldn't sleep knowing all this is down here, you, or rather the other you has spent years telling me how great these games are. I couldn't wait to play them again." He admitted slightly embarrassedly. He was such a nerd and Emma loved it. She saw so much of herself in him.

"Mind if I join you?" She asked.

"Sure, but I don't think this is a two player game. Do you want the first go?" He offered.

"No, that's cool. I'll just watch for now." She replied as her mind drifted back to Regina's jacket upstairs.

She shouldn't be at all surprised, after all why would the brunette leave? Not when everyone here wanted her to stay. Still, she couldn't shake the shock of realising that Regina and her older self had spent the night together.

"You're looking very thoughtful, is something wrong?" Henry asked as he paused the game. He didn't know the other teen very well but he did know his birth mother well enough to guess something was bothering this version of her.

"Do you think they had sex?" Emma blurted out. That's Emma Swan, nothing if not straight to the point. Henry's eyes widened as he processed the question.

"Wow, I was not expecting you to ask that!" He said as he took another moment to compose himself. "I don't really want to think about it, but it's possible."

"I can't help but think about it." Emma admitted grimly.

"Would it bother you if they did?" Henry asked gently. Emma thought carefully about the answer to that question. She genuinely couldn't make sense of the way that she was feeling and on top of that, didn't feel 100% comfortable talking about such things with her future son.

"No, I'd be happy for them. It's just... I have all of these feelings that I don't know what to do with. It's hard to explain I guess."

Henry thought for a moment about what to say next, the version of Emma what was his mother would freak if he ever tried to call her out on her emotions but his current companion seemed to be truly lost and genuinely in need of help and advice.

"It's not that difficult to figure out Emma." He said with a knowing smirk. "You're a horny as fuck teenager and you are physically attracted to my Mom, who is currently in bed with an older version of yourself and probably naked right now." He shuddered ever so slightly at the mere hint of that thought. After all, who wants to think about their parents in bed together. "I think you are allowed to be a little confused and probably a bit jealous right now."

"Hmmm." Emma responded in acceptance and frustration as she battled down another wave of tingles as she visualised Regina naked upstairs. "Pretty fucked up right? Being jealous of myself."

"It's understandable." He said simply and supportively.

Henry could tell that being here, being stuck in her current thought spiral was not helping at all, so he reached out to turn off the games console. When she gave him a questioning look he stood up and held out his had to help her up.

"Come on, let's get out of here before you self combust. Let's go for a run and stop off at the loft for some breakfast." He said softly.

"That sounds like a good idea to me." Emma replied. A run was probably exactly what she needed right now.

* * *

Sometime later that morning' Regina slowly began to return to the land of wakefulness. The first thing she was aware of was how warm and comfortable she was, tucked tightly into the side of her sleeping Saviour. One of Emma's arms was wrapped protectively around her and her head was resting on the top of Emma's chest where she could hear the soothing beat of her strong and steady heart. Her hand was a top the younger woman's tight stomach where their fingers were interlocked, in the same position they had been when they had fallen asleep in each other's arms not long after the breath-taking and emotional experience of their first shared orgasm.

To Regina this felt right. For the first time in her life, she felt like she was truly where she was meant to be. They fit together perfectly and in that moment, she couldn't think of a time where she had been happier, she smiled to herself and gently burrowed deeper into her lovers side. As she did she felt Emma's arm tighten around her as tender kisses were pressed against the top of her head.

"Hey beautiful." Emma's sleepy voice said.

"Hey." Replied the brunette with a bright smile. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not long." She said as she gently stretched out her free leg. "I can't remember ever sleeping as well as I did last night."

"Me neither." Regina replied with a rub of her thumb to Emma's tummy. "I think your bed is my new favourite place."

"Oh really?" Emma asked with a smirk. "Well you are welcome any time."

"If I'm allowed a repeat performance of last night then you are going to struggle to get me out!" The Mayor joked.

"Is that a promise? Because I can totally go for a repeat of last night. It was amazing!" She stated before moving to capture her loves glorious lips. "It's my turn next time though." Emma said with a wink prompting Regina to tickle her side.

They stayed like this for a few minutes, playfully teasing each other as they laughed and kissed and enjoyed their combined closeness.

"Not that I'm not enjoying this, but we should probably get up. We have young mouths to feed." Emma said, surprising Regina with her responsibility. She had imagined it would have fallen to her to be the sensible one.

"You are quite right my love, it's probably best that we don't get too carried away and scar them both for life!" Regina replied with a sigh.

"Rain check?" Emma asked.

"Rain check." The Mayor confirmed. "And who knows, maybe next time I will let you take my top off." She said with a wink as she sashayed off into the master bath to grab the robe she had spotted in there the previous night. Emma groaned as she let her head fall back onto the pillow, why did she have to go and open her big mouth? If she hadn't said anything then she might have been doing just that right now.

Ten minutes later, Emma was having a cold shower and Regina had ascertained that the teens had taken themselves out of the house and in search of food. With a sigh she began to take out the implements needed to cook them both some breakfast and set to work in ernest. Just when she was serving the eggs and bacon she had made, she was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a green plume of smoke.

"Why is it that I have to hear from the peasants in the diner that you are back." Her sister huffed from behind her. "Didn't you think to tell me? Not that I have been worried of course. Where the hell have you been?" She scolded. "And where are we?"

"You should know, you transported here. Uninvited I might add." Regina replied whilst raising a playful eye brow and reaching out to pluck her niece off her sister's hip.

"I transported to you, not the location. Are you alright?" She groused as she gave her a quick one armed hug.

"I am, yes." Regina answered in amusement at her sister thinly veiled concern. She was actually pleased to see her, a feeling she never thought she would experience.

"Wait... Is this Emma's kitchen?" Zelina asked in surprise as she looked around. She had been here before, but at the time it had been cold and sparse. Now it seemed much more homely and was filled with warm, bright colours. The redhead then turned her attention to her robed and barefoot little sister, there was something different about her, her hair was messy and her face sans makeup but most surprisingly she seemed comfortable and relaxed. Two things that the wicked witch had rarely seen. "Oh my god, you've had sex!" Zelina finally exclaimed.

"You don't have to sound so surprised!" Regina countered defensively.

"OHHHHH sister mine, have you finally had your wicked way with the saviour?" She enquired with glee.

"What do you mean _finally_?" The brunette asked incredulously.

"Oh please, the whole of Storybrooke has had to endure you two eye banging for years!"

"I'm sure I have no idea what you are talking about." Regina said dismissively as she turned her attention back to bouncing the baby.

"Whatever you want to believe sis." Zelina chuckled. "Now spill, is she any good in bed?"

"Zelina!" Regina replied, utterly scandalised by the directness of her questioning. Before she could properly admonish her for her inappropriate curiosity they were interrupted by the shower fresh saviour as she energetically bounced to the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh, the woman herself!" Zelina exclaimed in delight at her arrival. "We were just talking about your sexual prowess."

"We were not." Regina clarified whilst giving her sister a not entirely serious death glare.

"Morning Zelina." The blonde chirped as she made a beeline for her lady love. There was just something about Regina holding a baby that made her melt. She went to kiss her but paused when she remembered they had company. It was Regina who reached out her free hand and pulled her into a quick but meaningful kiss.

"Uwwwwww!" Zelina crooned cheerfully.

As Emma began to fuss Robyn, her brain finally caught up with the conversation she had just walked into and she couldn't help but get involved in the seemingly one sided banter. "Am I going to have to put up with you appearing all the time now that I am banging your sister?"

"EMMA!" Regina chided, she supposed she was going to have to get used to this. Both Zelina and Emma laughed conspiratorially as the blonde ran a soothing hand over her lovers back as she reached for some coffee.

"Can I have some of that?" Zelina asked in hope as she had missed out on her morning cup at Granny's in her haste to locate her missing younger sister.

"No you can't." Emma winked as she handed a cup over to the visitor. "Go away greenie."

"You have truly bagged yourself a Princess Charming there, my dear!" Zelina said with a smile directed at the former Queen.

"I think you will find that I am **_the_** Princess Charming." Emma sassed back.

Regina couldn't help but smile at the interaction between the two. Finding peace with her long lost sister hadn't been easy, there was so much ill will between the two that at times it had seemed impossible. But it wasn't, they had worked hard to become better people, to be the sister each deserved and Regina was pleased that they had managed to get to this point.

Before she had the chance to muse any further on the many evolving relationships in her life, the front door opened as young Emma, Henry and Jasper returned from their morning adventure.

"You two finally made it out of bed then?" Henry said with a cheeky smile.

"Yes." Regina replied somewhat embarrassed.

"Oh you are blushing! How funny." Zelina teased in delight, she was loving seeing her usually prim younger sibling as a normal person for once. It was when she looked over at her teenage nephew that she first spotted the awkward looking blonde with him. "And who do we have here?"

"Zelina, this is Emma." Regina started by way of introduction. "Emma, this is my sister Zelina, otherwise known as the Wicked Witch of the West" She said pointedly looking over at the redhead, "and my niece Robyn."

"Ignore her, she is just grumpy because I interrupted her romantic breakfast. Pleased to meet you..." Zelina said turning her full attention to the younger blonde. There was something very familiar about her. "Emma? As in the younger version of you?" She asked looking over at the Saviour. When the Sheriff nodded in the affirmative Zelina's eyes widened comically. "How?" She questioned.

Regina and Emma sat down to eat their rapidly cooling breakfast (the leftovers being instantly snarfed by the two teenagers) as they explained the events of the last few weeks.

"I didn't think wishes could transcend the constraints of time." Zelina stated questioningly.

"Well apparently the fairies have gone to great lengths to conceal the fact that they can." Emma answered.

"Hmm." Zelina acknowledged in annoyance. "And the sands of time? How in all of the realms did you get your hands on those? I searched for years!"

"According to Hook, Aladdin had some laying around in his junk draw."

"Unbelievable!" Zelina exclaimed whilst shaking her head in disbelief. "My life's work! Decades it took me to find a way to travel through time, decades. And you two love birds stumble across time travel by accident. Not once, but twice!" She almost shouted whilst wildly gesticulating.

"Sorry?" Emma offered apologetically.

"Hmm." Zelina said, again deep in thought. An uneasy silence settled over the kitchen as everyone present was pulled into their own thoughts. As older Emma and Regina caught each other's eye they raised their eyebrows in simultaneous amusement at Zelina's little outburst.

"In all seriousness though..." The red head started again. "I would honestly advise caution. I have studied time travel at great length and I would be worried about the fact that you have more than one factor at play here. As much as I hate to suggest it, maybe you should talk to The Blue Fairy and see if the Sands of Time have the power to effect the original wish."

Neither Regina or Emma had even considered that as a possibility in their haste to show the youngster a glimpse into her future life.

"Is that possible?" Regina asked in alarm.

"With time travel, anything is possible." The redhead answered somewhat ominously.

 **AN: Thanks for all of your kind reviews and a huge welcome to our new followers!**

 **I can't promise an update next week. What with Star Wars and Christmas parties. Then I have to go and wrangle my old man and he doesn't have the internet. If I don't catch you before, I wish each and every one of you a merry Christmas.**

 **Christmas isn't always as much fun as everyone makes it out to be. If this year is one of those years for you then just remember; there is always alcohol and Doctor Who.**

 **Peace and love to all :)**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

When young Emma and Henry had left the house earlier that morning they had done exactly as they had set out to do and gone for a run. It had only been a few days earlier that Henry's blonde mother had told him how much physical exercise had helped her regulate her thoughts as a teen and when he had seen how downhearted his companion was, he had suggested it as a way to cheer her up. It was only afterwards that he realised that he was now going to have to go running.

Once he had come to terms with his hasty offer he had reluctantly schlepped off to find his track kit whilst Emma had gone in search of some of her adult versions running clothes. After a quick change, he waited by the front door as Emma sorted herself out and rounded up Jasper. When she joined him ten minutes later he could instantly see that her mood had already improved greatly. As happy as she was, she couldn't help but notice how hesitant Henry had suddenly become.

"Not much of a runner?" She asked sympathetically as she motioned for them to begin.

"Not so much, no." He answered, a little shyly. "I'm more of the academic type."

"That's ok." She replied kindly. Now that she knew that information, she found that she was genuinely touched by his effort to cheer her up. "Thank you for suggesting this. I wasn't the sort either until a few weeks ago, I used to laugh at the people that would run round and round the block past the home I lived in. I never really got it before, but now... I love it, it really helps me to sort out my brain."

"How so?" He asked out of curiosity as they jogged down towards the end of the road.

"It's kinda hard to explain, I guess it's like all of my thoughts used to be in one big pile in my head and because everything was just a mess in there, I couldn't always find the information that I needed." She paused and scrunched her brow as she thought of a way to explain. "Like I would know how I should act and I knew the appropriate response to situations, all of that was in there, but in the heat of the moment I would struggle to find it in the pile. Something would happen and boom, I would lose my shit." She said, using hand gestures to accentuate her point and Henry couldn't help but laugh. He spent a lot of his time around women with a propensity to 'lose their shit', but he had never heard it articulated in such a way.

"Running helps because it's like it gives me a filing system. The more time I spent running, the more that pile in my brain get sorted through and stored somewhere I can find it. It just seems to make it easier not to fuck things up." She laughed. "That sounds really dumb doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't sound dumb at all. I'm glad you found something that helps." He said kindly. Although she was the same age as him, he knew that her life had been vastly different to his own. If, like she claimed, running helped her come to terms with that and gave her a way of dealing with the emotional fallout, then he would happily run a thousand miles by her side. Even though he was absolutely certain by now that he did in fact hate running.

Emma was not familiar with the streets of Storybrooke, so she had let her companion dictate the route they took. She had no idea that he was leading her to the only place he could think to go, other than his grandparent's loft. After thirty minutes at a gentle pace, Henry had skidded to a stop outside of a very grand house, or rather mansion, on possibly the nicest street she had ever been.

"Stop stop, I need water. Follow me." He said, leading her down the path towards the front door.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" Emma asked in alarm. She was sure that the people that lived there were not going to be happy about two sweaty teenagers turning up on their doorstep."

"Relax Emma, it's fine." He said with a smile. "This is my other home."

It took a moment for the words to register in the young blondes brain. When they finally did she paused to take a good look at the house. Looking up at the majestic abode, a small part of her expected to feel jealous of the young man standing next to her. After all, he too had been put up for adoption, just like her. But unlike her, he had found a home, and what a home it was. With a happy smile, she found that she wasn't jealous at all, just really really pleased that he had found his way here.

"WOW. Kid, you got so lucky!" She stated whilst playfully slapping him on his shoulder.

"I really did, didn't I?" He replied whilst giving the blonde the biggest smile she had yet to see on her son's lips. "Come on in." He continued, turning his key and pushing open the door.

As they walked up the steps and into the foyer Emma's eyes widened. It was so grand, much more so than she had ever seen. She continued to follow him through into the kitchen where he took two glasses from a cupboard and filled them with water.

"This is a nice place." She said in awe.

"Thanks, I lived here with Mom until I was ten. That's when I came to find you. I've split my time between the two of you ever since. I guess I won't have to do that anymore now." He said with a smile.

"What was it like, growing up here, with her?" She asked. Henry thought for a moment as he look a long pull of his drink.

"It was pretty great actually. My Mom is a very complex person, and to others it can seem that she is cold and harsh, but with me she was always kind and loving. This house may seem austere on the outside, but in these four walls there was a lot of love and fun." Emma smiled at the thought of her future son being chased around these rooms by laughter and love.

"Don't get me wrong." He continued. "There were strict rules and sometimes I would convince myself that she was evil, but I know now that she isn't, and never was. In fact she is one of the two most courageous people I know." He said whilst pointedly looking at Emma so she would understand who the second person was.

"You see, her mother wasn't a very nice person. She doesn't talk about her much but I am fairly certain that she was mentally and physically abused when she was a child. She was never shown much love, but despite that, she is full of it. From the very first moment she held me in her arms, she has loved me with her whole heart, and with everything she has been through in her life, that took real bravery. Especially as she found out a few days after I arrived that you were my mother."

"I don't understand." Emma said with a frown.

"You were always destined to break her curse, in her mind, she believed that would mean her death. She chose to keep me, to love me, even though she knew that doing so would be her downfall."

"Wow." Emma said, trying to digest the magnitude of the knowledge.

"Yeah. Like I said, she is an incredible woman. One of the two that I have the honour of calling Mom."

"You are so lucky, to have her love."

"She loves you too, remember." He said whilst placing their glasses in the washer. "Come on, let's head over to Gram and Gramps place. I'm starving!"

* * *

Half an hour later the pair made it to Snow and Charming's front door. Before they even had the chance to knock, the door was pulled open and they were greeted by a very excitable looking Snow White.

"Emma! You came! Come in come in, welcome to our home." She said whilst ushering the pair in. "Hi Henry." She said after kissing his sweaty forehead. "What do you both fancy for breakfast?"

"Just whatever you guys are having I guess." Emma replied shyly whilst heading over to greet her baby brother.

"Well, we just had cereal, but honey, you can have whatever you want." Snow said kindly.

"Can I have pancakes please Grams?" Henry asked, finally getting in there with his favourite breakfast order. His brunette mom usually made him eat something healthy but his Grams always made him his favourite.

"Of course you can sweetheart. How about you Emma? What would you really like?"

"I'd err.. I'd really like pancakes too, it that's ok?" She answered shyly.

"Oh course it is sweetheart." Snow replied with a warm smile as she ushered them both over to a seat. "Where are your mom's?" She asked Henry casually, before squinting her eyes at the internal confusion that question caused her as she looked at the youthful version of her daughter. "I mean Regina and older Emma?"

"I think they are having some alone time." He answered, hoping that would be enough of an explanation and that she wouldn't ask for any more information on the subject.

"Oh." She answered airily as she thought on his answer for a while. "OHH!" She exclaimed when the penny dropped and his answer finally sunk in. "Right." She said awkwardly as she began to make the pancake batter.

* * *

After Zelina's somewhat ominous words of warning Regina just couldn't shake the feeling that something was bound to go wrong. After all, when did things ever go right for her? She was happy, really happy for the first time in a very long time but she just couldn't shake the feeling that it was all going to come crashing down around her.

After she had showered and dressed, she asked Emma to call the convent. The Blue fairy wasn't her biggest fan and she would like to keep her on side by having the Princess make an appointment, however Emma relayed that Blue wasn't available for visitors as she was currently in the Enchanted Forest on business. After that, the brunette was all for storming the nunnery but Emma had managed to convince her that no good would come of it - a lesson she had learnt whilst Regina had been missing.

So for now they just had to wait, and Regina wasn't finding that easy. They had decided to go for a walk along the beach, as Emma hadn't spent a great deal of time by the sea. After a few hours of throwing sticks for Jasper, the whole family had decided to make their way back up to Granny's for a milkshake.

Whilst walking up main street, the brunette just couldn't resist the pull of the pawn shop. Perhaps a visit to see a certain 'Dark One' would serve to allay her growing fears, although she doubted that somehow.

After sending the teens on ahead, Emma and Regina pushed open the door to Rumple's shop, ringing that bloody bell as they did.

"What can I do for you ladies." He asked as he appraised the two women standing before him. "Welcome back by the way dearie." He added, nodding at Regina.

"Blue is unavailable and we were looking for some advice about timelines." Emma informed him as Regina offered him a curt nod in acknowledgment of his greeting.

"Ah yes, you are wondering if bringing the younger Miss Swan here was a mistake."

"How did you...?" Emma began to ask before being cut off.

"I know everything dear." He stated in a tiresome manner. "Plus, after your little display in the Diner yesterday, you are talk of the town."

Of course, thought Emma. Thinking about it, she would be surprised if there was anyone left in the township that hadn't heard the story by now.

"Will there be any lasting ramifications from her presence here?" Regina finally opened her mouth to ask.

"I can't tell you that." He stated simply.

"Can't or won't?" Regina countered.

"Either way, I still can't tell you." He sing-songed in response.

"Please Rumple." She almost begged, and that is saying something considering who she was talking to. "I need an answer."

"No you don't. Trust me on this." He said softly, and as Regina raised her brow in question at his request, he raised his hand to silence her. "I know that isn't an easy thing for you, and rightly so, given our history. But please, go home and enjoy your long overdue happiness." He said again, with the slightest hint of smile on his lips.

* * *

After leaving Granny's, they returned to Emma's house and the teenagers had immediately descended the steps down into the basement, not to be seen for several more hours when they were lured out with the promise of homemade pizzas. They had all spent an enjoyable few hours creating their own weird and wonderful toppings and sharing them around. Both Regina and Henry had turned their noses up in disgust when both blondes had insisted on putting pineapple on their creations. Ultimately Jasper had been the only one to enjoy those pieces, much to Regina's amusement.

After watching a film, they had all said goodnight and gone their separate ways up to bed. After changing, Regina had settled herself in the window reading nook in the master bedroom and was thoughtfully gazing out of the window when older Emma found herself unable to resist commenting on the other woman's pensive mood.

"You know, I can feel you thinking all the way over here." She said softly from the bed.

"Hmm?" Regina asked before the statement had the chance to sink in. She turned her attention to Emma and smiled apologetically. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just can't seem to get Zelina's words out of my mind. What if we did the wrong thing? What if we have caused irreparable damage to the time line?"

"Well, then I am sure we will deal with it, we always do when these things happen. Please try to stop worrying and relax." The blonde said, moving over to the window seat to join her.

"I wish it was that easy." Regina said thoughtfully, shifting over to make room for the other woman.

"I know it isn't. I know that you haven't had a lot of luck in your life and every time you have found something you thought was worth holding on to, it has been taken from you. I know that because it has been the same for me. But this time, I am choosing to believe that everything will work out for the best. It has to, we finally found each other and now that I have you, I promise that I am not letting you go." Emma stated vehemently.

Regina smiled at her statement and moved in closer to the blonde so she could curl into her side. Emma immediately wrapped her arms around her and dropped her head down onto the top of the brunettes, planting a big kiss.

After a while, Emma's gentle reassurance eventually helped to temporarily allay the former Queens worries. As she lay in her arms, the blonde continued to pepper her hair with soft kisses whilst gently caressing her side.

Emma finally felt Regina begin to relax, and as she did, her hands began to subconsciously repay the comfort she was receiving by starting to gently stroke Emma's tight stomach.

Emma let out a contented sigh as she settled into enjoying the other woman's exploration and as she relaxed further into their position her hand slipped underneath the brunettes top to find the soft and warm flesh of her side and back. As she ran her hand delicately up Regina's spine, the action caused her to roll her body closer into her side and when she moaned in delight, there was no misunderstanding that the comforting embrace had changed into something else.

Regina lifted her chin to seek out the blue green eyes of her love and she was not at all surprised as they instantly met her own. Emma smiled as she leaned in for a tender kiss. After a few minutes, what had started as soft kisses had soon become more heated as they both became more aroused by the second.

"Bed, now." Regina had commanded and Emma complied immediately.

As they resumed kissing, Emma attempted to take the lead by gently trying to coax the brunette over onto her back whilst beginning to lift her shirt. Regina however had other ideas, again she wanted the other woman to feel the depth of her adoration, so she quickly pushed back and swung her leg over Emma's. She lightly took hold of her wrists and guided them away from her body and above the blondes head where she held them with one hand as she carefully lifted her vest with the other, once her mission was complete, she once again leaned down to kiss her deeply.

After a few minutes of this new position, with her hands caressing the blondes now bare breasts the brunette began to lightly circle her hips and gently thrust against the woman below her. After some more kissing and soft teasing the barrier of their sleep shorts was becoming infuriating for them both so Regina pushed both of her hands below the waistband onto Emma's fabulously firm ass as she asked if she could take them off. The blonde nodded in response as she too made a move to remove the brunettes.

"What are you doing?" Regina asked in surprise.

"I want to feel you against me." Was the breathy reply, and so she allowed her own shorts to be removed shortly after the blondes.

Regina settled herself back down on the bed next to Emma as she concentrated on exploring her body without the restraint of clothing. She was beautiful. Her nipples were straining for more attention and Regina could see the glisten of her arousal as she shifted her body closer. She couldn't wait any longer to feel the effect she was having on her lover so the slowly drew her hand down Emma's abs and dipped her fingers down between her velvet folds. Emma let out a deep groan as she felt those fingers gently begin to slide up and around her hardening clit.

"You are so wet, my love." Regina whispered.

"For you." Was the husked reply. "I want to feel you against me, like before." She said confidently.

Regina immediately complied and swung her leg back over the Sheriff as she shifted her weight above her again. Emma helped guide her knees up next to her waist and encouraged her to kneel back, bringing her heated centre down directly over her own. As the brunette lowered the top of her body back down against Emma's she felt their engorged clits rub against each other.

"Oh God's!" Emma exclaimed. "You feel so good!" Encouraged by Emma's enjoyment, Regina once again began to gently move her hips.

"OH!" Emma called out. She loved being worshiped by the goddess above and she wanted to be able to do the same, she too wanted to express her love physically and so she tried again to lower her hands and snake them up underneath Regina's top.

"You don't have to." Regina said as she steadily increased the pace of her thrusts. "My pleasure isn't important my love, lie back and enjoy."

"Your pleasure is important to me, please let me touch you."

Regina looked back at the blonde with confusion. No one had ever really been interested in her enjoyment before and certainly not whilst so obviously enjoying what she was offering.

"Please." Emma said again. "Let me take off your shirt."

"Ok." She finally said as she couldn't deny her love. Emma made light work of pulling the shirt up and over her head and her eyes dilated a little more as she finally got a close look at the boobs behind the cleavage that had been haunting her dreams for years.

"So beautiful." She said as she raised her hands to take the full weight of them, squeezing the former Queens nipples as she did. This spurred Regina on to increase the pace further still as their clits slid next to each other's again and again.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck!" The brunette chanted as she felt herself slip closer and closer towards her release.

"Come baby, come." Emma encouraged, sensing that right now, Regina's need to let go and allow her own pleasure for once was greater than her own need.

"Together." Regina insisted, continuing her now heady pace.

"Together." Emma agreed as she moved one of her hands to her own nipple and began to pinch.

They continued like this for a few more minutes, steadily getting closer and closer to the high they were both now chasing.

"Emma. I'm going to... I'm going too..."

"I'm here, I'm ready too. Let go baby, come with me." Emma said as she started to see stars all around her. Regina suddenly stopped moving as her body stiffened and she stopped all the noise she had been making - which was previously a lot - and stared, open mouthed as she silently shuddered and came along with her lover. Emma rode out her orgasm underneath her as she lifted her hand to her face and chanted "I love you, I love you, I fucking love you!" to the astonishing creature that had just come apart on top of her.

 **AN: This chapter has has roughly 87 rewrites lol. It's finally at a place I am happy with, so i hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for all your encouragement and kind words. You guys are great!**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

 **Warning: this chapter mentions emotions and difficulties stemming from early sexual encounters. The earlier acts are not detailed and there is plenty of love too.**

Regina continued to stare into Emma eyes as the blonde repeated her affirmations of love again and again. Never in her life had she felt so connected to another person. As she gazed in awe, Emma regained partial control of her faculties and pulled Regina's body down flush with her own as she peppered loving kisses onto her forehead.

Regina was feeling entirely overwhelmed by what had just happened and needed a short break from the intensity of the experience. She kissed Emma on the cheek then rolled off to the side and curled into herself with her back to the blonde. She may have needed a moment but she couldn't bear the thought of breaking the physical contact she seemed to crave these days so she pulled Emma's arm around her and she in return curled her body around the smaller woman and spooned her tightly from behind. Sensing that the brunette needed a little time, Emma silently poured every ounce of her love and support into that embrace. She felt the gentle shake of the other woman's shoulders and could tell that she was crying, but still she silently held her in her strong arms.

Eventually the shaking stopped and the grip Regina had on Emma's arm began to soften.

"Are you ok my love?" Emma asked, finally breaking the silence. When all she got in response was a light shrug she kissed Regina's shoulder and asked her gently to turn around. The brunette obliged, but only turned half way so that she was now looking up at the ceiling.

"What's wrong baby?" Emma asked as she gazed intently at the brunette's profile.

"Nothing." Regina finally said reflectively.

Emma wasn't fooled by her answer, she knew that Regina had been deep in thought, thoughts probably brought on by the incredible experience they had just shared. She knew it had been hard for the brunette to give up control and she suspected that that had something to do with her past.

"Please talk to me." Emma prompted gently. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked hesitantly, desperately hoping that she hadn't pushed it too far.

"NO! Gods no." Regina stressed, briefly turning her head to look Emma straight in the eye so that she would understand the sincerity of that statement.

"Good, because I couldn't bear it if I had." She said whilst dropping a kiss on her shoulder. "Look, I know you have spent the last few weeks worrying about little else but my younger self's emotional wellbeing, and because of how delicate she is you have had to be strong. But baby, I'm not her. I'm a big girl with a grown up's understanding of the world and I can tell something is bothering you. I don't want you suffering alone anymore, I'm here now."

Emma was right, she wasn't alone anymore and she knew it. This was a safe space and she could feel the love and support radiating out of her blonde Saviour. It was time to stop cementing the walls she had spent so long building and let Emma in.

"I just needed a minute is all. I have never felt like that before, it was a little overwhelming."

"Felt like what?" Emma asked.

"Loved, wanted." Regina admitted quietly.

Emma's eyes widened at that confession, she had assumed that the older woman would have had at least fleeting glimpses of those feelings with Daniel and Robin, she was shocked to hear that she had never felt that before. But that was all in the past now, now she had her and she silently vowed to make her feel that way every single day.

"Oh... Well that's good, because you are loved and wanted." She replied brightly, pleased that she was the one to finally show her how loved she was.

As Regina looked at Emma she couldn't help but smile back as she saw the adorable smile she was flashing her. Another tear rolled down her cheek but this one wasn't one from sadness or being overwhelmed, it was one of joy. Joy at finally having found a love so pure and true.

As they settled back into their now much more relaxed embrace, Emma willed herself to empty her mind and enjoy their closeness, but she just couldn't shake her earlier thoughts about Regina's past. The more she thought about the early fate of the once Princess in her arms, the more frustrated she became with the cruelty of it all. Cruelty bestowed by Cora, by Rumple and most damagingly, by her own grandfather.

Emma was truly loath to ask, but she all of a sudden needed to know.

"Does it bother you?" Emma asked, surprising herself as she did.

"Does what bother me?"

"That I am his granddaughter?"

"No." Regina said simply and quickly, as she turned to face Emma. "I have never and will never see a link between the two of you. You are kind and brave and loving and everything he never was to me. It does not bother me because you are nothing alike."

"Good." Emma was relieved to reply.

"Good." Regina confirmed with a smile, moving back into Emma's embrace.

"I love you so much."

"And I you." The brunette responded with a smile as she nudged Emma nose with her own.

"I don't want you to ever feel like you can't talk to me about what happened to you. Please don't keep it all in because you worry about me feeling bad. I want to understand." Emma said softly. She knew the older woman's past was something she found incredibly difficult to talk about but she wanted her to know that if she ever wanted to, she would be there to listen.

Regina thought about Emma's offer. She was right in a way, a part of her didn't want to tell her about the awful things she had endured because she didn't want to upset her or remind her of the many horrible things that had happen in her own childhood. But she also didn't want her to feel like she was being purposely protected from the knowledge of what had happened to her as a teenager, so she did something she had never even considered doing before and started to talk.

"He was rough and took what he wanted from me. I guess that is why I am comfortable giving in bed but not receiving. Giving is my choice you know? Earlier, you made me feel like receiving was too and I have never felt like that with anyone before. You made me feel safe enough to allow you to do that.

Emma replied with a megawatt grin. "Thank you, for letting me. The importance of that is not lost on me." They both smiled in acknowledgment of the importance of the evening they had shared together.

Regina was the first to break the smile and she did so by leaning in for a slow and passionate kiss. The kiss soon deepened and the brunette didn't once try to direct proceedings. Emma knew that this was her way of showing her that she trusted her. As they continued, both women started to become breathless with excitement and anticipation.

After a while Emma tried to very gently guide Regina over onto her back. The brunette resisted immediately.

"Not above me, please." Regina said with a pained look on her face.

"Ok baby." Emma replied supportively. "Anything else you don't like?"

"I don't think I'm ready for..." She stopped, embarrassed by what she was about to say.

"Ready for what?" Emma gently prompted.

"Penetration." Regina finally said in a quiet and shamed voice. "I don't think I am ready for that."

"I can understand that." Emma quickly reassured, pulling the brunette tightly into her arms and trying not to think about the reasons her love would have an aversion to that particular act. "If ever you are uncomfortable, just say stop and I will. Ok?" Emma said with a kiss to her forehead.

"Yes." Regina replied trustingly.

As they both lay on their side facing each other, Emma kissed her again and then began to slide her body down the bed. She paused at her breasts and took the time to lavish each nipple with equal amounts of kisses, sucks and nips of the teeth. All the while, Regina ran her fingers through blonde tresses as she allowed herself to vocalise her enjoyment. Eventually the younger woman stopped her pleasurable assault and continued on her journey down. She paused to kiss and stroke the unbelievably soft skin of her flat stomach. The brunette loved the feeling of Emma's questing hands and sighed as she felt her slide her attention briefly to her ass as she continued down to caress her outer thigh before gently placing her hand between her knees and encouraging them apart.

Regina nervously obliged as Emma slid even further down the bed until finally she had reached her destination. Taking care not to push her onto her back, she placed her head on the inner thigh of the leg the brunette was laying on and took a moment to inhale the intoxicating smell of the other woman's arousal.

Before finally diving in she looked up to catch Regina's eye and she nodded her encouragement before closing her eye's in anticipation of Emma's next move and by the God's she was not at all disappointed as she felt the younger woman's tongue delicately explore and find her clit.

"Oh fuck!" She almost shouted as Emma began to increase the pace. Soon she was rocking her hips towards the blondes incredibly talented mouth and as Regina looked down to see what they looked like together she realised that she was thoroughly fucking Emma's face and fuck was she enjoying it. "Yes, yes, yes, YES! Right there, that's it. Keep going, keep going." She said as she reached down to touch her cheek. As she did, her orgasm finally hit and she near enough screamed as she bucked her way through a release that was ten times better than the one she had had earlier on that night which she thought could never be beaten.

As Emma made her way back up the bed to settle herself in for the night, little did she know that another version of herself had been lying awake, listening to every moan that they made.

* * *

The next morning the practically glowing couple descended the stairs to find that Henry and Emma's younger self had already helped themselves to breakfast.

"Morning kids." Emma said chirpily as she reached the bottom of the stairs. It was a week day and now that things had started to settle down and they didn't really know what to do with young Emma until they could talk to Blue, it had been decided that they should all return to their day activities.

"Morning Ma." Henry replied just as enthusiastically. "So, I was thinking, maybe I should take the day off school and spend some more time with Emma. I mean, we don't know how much longer she is going to be here and I want to spend as much time as possible with her, while I have the chance."

"Nice try kid, and I appreciate the sentiment but you really do need to go to school." She responded with a sympathetic smile. "Anyway, I thought that it would be cool if you spent the day with me at the station." She said, addressing her younger self.

"I want to spend the day with Regina." The youngster replied almost coldly, to which her older self raised her eyebrows and looked over to catch chocolate coloured eyes looking back at her, filled with concern.

The youngster was feeling grumpy because she had got very little sleep the night before, what with hearing the older pairs sexcapades and then stewing on them until the early hours. The adults alone time had been playing on her mind for a while now, she had of course suspected that they were being intimate but to have those suspicions confirmed in such a vocal manner was really bothering her.

On the one hand, she was really happy for them both. Whatever had been happening behind their closed door, it sure sounded like they had both been enjoying it. But therein also lay a problem for the young blonde, she really had very little idea what could have been happening, and that was bothering her. She knew all about the mechanics of heterosexual sex as she had been forced to sit through a rather embarrassing workshop on safe sex a year or so ago. But when it came to two women, she realised that she had no clue what they could possibly do together. Little did she realise that figuring it out would be the easiest and most fun thing she would ever do. But she was nearly seventeen and these things worry people at that age.

She was stressed. Stressed because a part of her wished she had been in that room the night before and stressed because she was terrified that if she had been then she wouldn't have been able to make Regina scream like her older self had.

She sat and worried that she would never be good enough whilst she picked at her breakfast and then twenty minutes later a very tired and quiet teen followed Regina out of the house and into her car, for the short drive to town hall.

Regina of course knew that something was wrong but she stayed quiet, hoping that young Emma would mention it in her own time. After they had eaten the lunch they had brought from the house the blonde still showed no sign of cheering up so Regina decided to intervene.

"Is everything ok Emma?" She asked, looking up towards where she was sitting with her older self's iPad. Emma shrugged in response. "What's wrong?" Asked the Mayor again before rounding her desk and going to sit next to her on the couch.

Emma contemplated shutting her down and keeping quiet but curiously, she found that she didn't want to do that. She was in turmoil and she trusted the woman sitting beside her with the reasons why. She knew that Regina genuinely cared about her and may even be able to address some of her worries.

"Am I good in bed? The older me I mean." The teen asked all of a sudden, and to Regina's mind, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Pardon?" Regina asked. She had heard the question clear enough but couldn't quite believe her ears.

"I heard you last night." Emma admitted, nervously avoiding eye contact with the older woman. "It sounded like you were enjoying it."

Regina was utterly mortified by the direction in which the conversation was going. She was certain that she had erected a silencing spell around the master bedroom. Then to her horror she realised her mistake. She had indeed soundproofed the room but only to people not involved with what was happening in there. Emma was technically involved so therefore her younger self could hear everything.

"I am so sorry, you shouldn't have heard that."

"I don't mind, it sounded... good." She admitted, and it had. She had listened and wished to the Gods that she had been a part of it. "I can't stop thinking your screams. I'm worried that when my time comes, I won't be able to make you feel that good. I don't want to let you down because and I lov..." she paused suddenly, shocked by what she had almost said and how easy it would have been to finish that sentence. She had never loved anyone in her whole life. The fact that she did now scared the shit out of her.

"It's ok Emma." Regina said in reassurance. She knew what the teen had almost said and she knew why that had scared her so much.

"Will you show me how to make you feel like that?" She asked timidly. "So that when I'm older, I will be good."

"You know I can't do that, little one." Regina replied kindly.

"Stop calling me little!" The young woman said in annoyance. "You keep calling me that and I'm not. I'm old enough to listen to you fuck me and enjoy it. I'm old enough to want to know what that feels like."

"And you will, just not yet. I know it's hard to keep hearing this, but your time will come, you just need to wait."

"I know, I know!" Emma dejectedly exclaimed.

Regina felt for her, she really did. As much as she knew she had done the right thing by showing the teen her future, she also knew how frustrating it must be to be able to see it but to have to wait to have it herself. She felt terrible that, in her haste she had produced a substandard silencing spell because she knew how sexually curious the young woman was. What her and the older version of the blonde had done last night was tantamount to rubbing her face in the wet patch. The teen at least deserved her candour, if nothing else.

"In answer to your first question; yes. You are very good in bed. But not for the reasons that you think. Not because of your experience, which by the way, I haven't asked your older self about. But because of your kindness and your love. You treat me like no one else ever has and that is what makes you so good. Believe me when I say that when the time comes, I know first-hand that you will be excellent."

Emma shifted awkwardly in her seat as she listened to the brunette's words. For the last part though, Regina wanted to look her in the eyes so she reached out her hand and lifted her chin until she could see the young woman's blue-green orbs looking back. "I can't show you how to make me feel good. Partly because I don't really know either. But you do, or at least you will. You didn't let me down Emma, you were amazing."

Upon hearing the older woman's words, a huge smile settled on her face. She still wasn't used to hearing people compliment her. Her happiness didn't last long as she remembered what she had asked the brunette to do.

"I've fucked things up again, haven't I?"

"No, you haven't." Regina replied with a smile. "You just need to be patient."

As Emma looked back at her she could tell she was telling the truth. She hadn't messed things up but it was still a stupid thing to have asked.

"I need some air, I think I'm going to go to the station after all." She said, feeling like she needed a bit of space.

Regina nodded and after the teen had left the room, she called big Emma to give her a quick heads up about what had just happened.

* * *

Ten minutes later a sullen teenage Emma Swan walked into the Sheriff's station and plopped herself down in the chair opposite her older self. The Sheriff gave her a knowing and supportive half smile as she looked up from her paperwork.

"You know what just happened don't you?" The teen asked. When she received a confirmatory nod, she exhaled and continued to talk. "I messed up, again." She exclaimed whilst bending forward to put her head down on the desk. " Oh my god, I can't believe that I asked her to do that. She said no by the way. She loves you more I guess." She mused.

"She loves us just the same." Her older self offered. "You know that, and you know why she said no, because you are too young and you aren't ready for things like that. I know you think you are, but trust me, you aren't."

"I feel ready. I think about her all the fucking time. I'm so... worked up because of it!" Young Emma exhaled in frustration. "I just wanted to know how to make her happy." Older Emma smirked and let out a knowing chuckle. "What is so funny?" Her younger counterpart demanded.

"Sorry, I'm laughing because I know exactly how you feel. About the first bit anyway, she has had me worked up for years."

"Arrhh!" Young Emma nearly shouted as she banged her head against the desk. "You are like, zero help!"

"Sorry. If it helps, I have some advice about the other thing. There is an easy way to figure out how women like to be touched."

"I'm listening..."

"Well, you are a woman, you have all the right equipment to practice, if you know what I mean?" The older blonde said whilst wiggling her eyebrows.

As her younger self looked back at her in shock she dug into her pocket to fish out her house keys and offered them out for the teenager to take.

"Are you telling me to go fuck myself?" She asked with amusement in her voice.

"Pretty much." She joked back. "Go and have a play, it will make you feel better, I promise. You have a few hours before we finish work. Go and enjoy and for the Gods sake don't let anyone catch you this time!"

"Still remember that then?" She asked as she flushed bright red, thinking back to when Regina had caught her rubbing one out.

"I will never forget it. Ever. Now off you go." She said as she steered herself out of the door of the Sheriff's office. "You remember the way?"

"Yeah." She answered.

"Great, Enjoy!" She heard as the door closed behind her. Off she went in the direction of her house still not quite believing how things had transpired.

After a knowing laugh the older Swan reached for her phone to text Regina with a status update.

 **All sorted. Don't worry, she is fine, just a little worked up. Sent her home for some 'alone time'. Don't go home for the next few hours if you don't wanna** **catch her at it. Again.**

A few minutes later, when Regina finally noticed the notification light on her phone blinking away at her, she rolled her eyes as she read the message. Without a second thought she hit the call button.

"Emma Swan, have you really sent yourself home to masturbate?"

 **AN: It's my Birthday! Last night I drank far to much Belgian beer, so today I had a duvet day and finished this off for you guys. Hope you liked it :)**

 **Welcome to all new followers and as ever, thanks for your lovely comments.**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Emma Swan, have you really sent yourself home to masturbate?" The Mayor of Storybrooke asked her Sheriff in a stern tone.

"I might have..." Emma replied sheepishly, not knowing if she was in trouble or not. "Shouldn't I have?"

When she was greeted with nothing but silence on the line she found herself repeatedly saying "Hello?". After a few moments the mystery of where Regina had gone was solved when she smelled the other woman's scent and felt arms snaking around her waist from behind.

When Regina answered her question with a knowing chuckle whilst resting her chin on the slightly taller woman's shoulder, Emma knew she wasn't mad at all.

"I'm just worried about her, you know?" The Mayor confessed. "The longer she is here, the more I begin to wonder if we did the right thing, bringing her here I mean." This had of course been playing on her mind ever since Zelina had raised the possibility that it could cause problems when it came to maintaining temporal integrity. Emma turned herself around in the older woman's embrace so she could look her straight in the eyes.

"We absolutely did the right thing. I can't put into words how much I needed this as a kid. I can't tell you how much I wished for a glimpse of a happier life. I know things are a bit up in the air right now." She said as she rubbed her hands reassuringly up Regina's upper arms. "But I still refuse to believe bringing her here was wrong."

Regina nodded her acceptance at the blonde's words and once again dropped her head down onto Emma's shoulder where it stayed of a few minutes as she enjoyed their closeness.

"I still feel terrible about her hearing us in bed though. I should have been more careful." Regina eventually said, breaking the silence.

" _We_ Regina, I was there too and yes maybe we should have been more careful but look at it this way, at least now she has some idea of how amazing it is to share a bed with you." Emma replied cheekily.

"I'm being serious right now Emma." Regina said whilst giving the blonde a playful tap on the arm.

"I know you are." Emma said with a smile "We will be more careful and we talk it through with her later if you'd like."

"I would like that, yes." Regina replied before leaning in for a sweet kiss.

* * *

The rest of the day passed without incident and when the Mayor and the Sheriff returned to Emma's house at the end of the day they were thrilled to discover that their guest from another time had cheered up a little and started dinner.

After young Emma had been dispatched back to the house, she had tried to indulge in the suggested activity but hadn't had much success. For some reason it just didn't seem right. These wonderful people had opened up their lives to her and for her to do what had been suggested somehow seemed disrespectful. Instead, she wanted to do something nice for the people that, in a very short space of time had become important to her. That is what led her to the decision to cook them all dinner. She was halfway through the preparation for a chicken and mushroom risotto when the trio - and Jasper who had stayed with big Emma - returned home for the evening.

They ate together, cleared away together and then spread out on the sofas to watch a film together - with Jasper of course. In everyone's book it was a wonderful night. There had been very little tension between the women, which was surprising to young Emma, considering what had happened in the Mayor's office. When the second film finished, they all said their goodnights and headed off to bed.

Regina and her sheriff were both changed and had just gotten into bed when they heard a tentative knock at their bedroom door.

"Come in." They both replied at the same time, causing them both to smile. The door opened just a little and Regina could see the worried eyes of the blonde teenager looking back at her.

"Emma, it's ok, you can come in." The brunette said gently as she sat up. The door opened a little further and the youngster took one step into the room. When she didn't immediately say anything, Regina took the lead.

"Thank you for cooking this evening, it was wonderful."

"It was nothing much, you taught me the recipe anyway." Emma answered awkwardly whilst shuffling from one foot to the other. She was still a little uncomfortable with praise, even after several weeks of receiving it in spades from the brunette.

"It was very kind of you, so thank you again." Regina paused. "Is everything alright Emma? Come and sit down." She said, hoping it would put the teen at ease. She hesitantly took a few steps closer and sat on the very end of the bed. "Is there something wrong?" Her older self asked gently.

"I'm sorry about earlier." The youngster blurted out. The event had been playing on her mind, she felt embarrassed and she really wanted to clear the air. "About the whole asking you to have sex with me thing. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable. I know why you wouldn't want me, not when you have her." She paused and gestured towards her older self. "I just... I don't know... you mean a lot to me and I guess I wanted that for my first time." She admitted shyly.

"Oh Emma." Regina responded kindly whilst reaching forward to take the youngsters hand. "You didn't make me uncomfortable and you have nothing to be sorry about. Ok?"

"Ok." The teen answered unconvincingly.

"I'm flattered, I truly am, that you would want me to be your first. Me saying no isn't a rejection sweetheart, I am yours, I truly am. And don't think for one second that I don't want you, because I do. Just not in that way yet. Come." She said gesturing for the youngster to lay down between the two of them. "Lay with us for a while? If that's ok with you." Regina briefly wondered if it was a good idea, to welcome the teen into her bed, she didn't want her to get the wrong idea but she just couldn't bear the thought of her feeling unwanted.

The teen nodded and moved to settle herself between her older self and her future lover and soon relaxed into their closeness. This wasn't about sex and she knew that, it was about feeling wanted as a person and even though she wasn't being offered what she would maybe have liked, she liked this too. This closeness.

"No funny business though or you are getting straight back out." Her older self said in jest, shaking the teen form her thoughts.

"There's not much danger of that." The youngster replied "I felt so guilty earlier that I couldn't even touch myself, never mind anyone else."

"So, you are still as horny as fuck?" The Sheriff asked in disbelief. "Maybe you should get leave." She joked.

"I can control myself, I promise. Just let me stay for a while, this is nice. I've never really had this, this closeness before."

"I know." Emma answered knowingly. "Of course you can stay."

"Thanks." she whispered quietly.

"I know things got a little tricky today." Older Emma offered out, just as the youngster's eyelids started to droop. "But trust me when I say that we are both really happy that you are here."

And with that, all three slipped into a warm and happy sleep.

* * *

A week passed and the group still hadn't heard anything from the Blue Fairy. In that time, young Emma had spent a lot of time with the various members of her new found family. At the weekend, she had spent Saturday with her parents and little brother at the loft and had happily agreed when they had asked her to stay the night. She had remained there all day Sunday and yet again stayed the night. Even though her mother had a young baby to look after, Emma found to her immense glee that the short haired woman was intent on spoiling her rotten. Her cooking wasn't as good as Regina's but there was plenty of it. She had been plied with a seemingly never-ending supply of sandwiches, cakes and casseroles and by the end of the weekend, Emma had pretty much had to roll herself back to her older self's house.

She had met all of Henrys friends and once they had gotten over the awkwardness of her being a younger version of the towns Sheriff, they happily included her in their group. They hung out at the park for a while and Emma couldn't help but notice that one of the other girls, Gretel, kept looking her way. When she finally asked Henry what her deal was he had laughed and said that she had always had a crush on his blonde mom and she probably just felt a bit awkward because she was now faced with a version of her that was her age and not dating a smelly pirate. Emma had flushed with excitement to hear that someone liked her in that way and had toyed with the idea of getting to know her better but ultimately, she knew that she only had eyes for one person.

The awkwardness between her and the new couple had quickly disappeared after they had cleared the air and throughout that week she watched Regina and her older self continue to get closer and closer and now that she had come to terms with her situation, she was happy that she got to see glimpses of the happiness and ease that was developing between the new lovers. At one point, she had walked in on them having a moment whilst working together to make dinner. They had jumped apart like two scolded cats but the younger blonde had insisted that it was fine and that they didn't need to hide their love from her. As Regina had hugged her after her assurances, the pair had been brought to near hysteria as they turned to see what had caused the mechanical whirr and the shocked exclamation that had interrupted their embrace. It transpired that the older blonde had had an unfortunate incident with the hand blender, starting it before the end was fully submerged in the mixture and covering her face in the process. They all laughed as the Sheriff then took a handful and made sure that the other two were equally covered.

Jasper was also having the time of his life in Storybrooke. He was not a stay at home and wait kind of dog and everyone knew that, so when he decided he was leaving the house with whoever was exiting, he was allowed to tag along. He more often than not went with young Emma but was equally happy at the station or curled up at Regina's feet in her office. The residents of the small town had gotten so used to seeing him around that if he wasn't there, he was asked after. Everywhere he went, he was greeted with endless fuss, life was great.

The pair were fitting in so well and enjoying their time so much that when the news came that the fairy had returned, it was met with a small hint of sadness on everyone's part.

They were all, Charmings included, enjoying lunch in Granny's when Astrid had rushed in and requested that they all join her at the convent as Mother superior was back with news that was pertinent to all of them. Twenty minutes later they all piled out of their respective cars in front of the nunnery where they were met by Blue herself in the foyer.

"Thank you all for joining me." She said crisply before turning her attention to young Emma. "Emma, it's lovely to meet you." She paused and looked upon the youngster warmly. "I am Blue, your Fairy God Mother. It was my magic that granted your wish. I sent Regina to you."

"Thank you." Was all the teen could think to say. This wasn't news to her, she knew the circumstances of the magical adventure she had been thrust into at the beginning of the summer. Still, in her world, it wasn't every day that you came face to face with your Fairy God Mother.

"I'm sorry that we didn't get to meet when you first arrived in Storybrooke. I sensed your presence here and I have to admit that it worried me a little. That is the reason for my absence." Blue said, talking now to the group as a whole. "I was unsure of the consequences of your arrival here, so I went to seek council with the magical elders.

You see, when my magic alone was at play, I felt confident that no harm would be done to the time line, it was meant to be a harmless few weeks of enjoyment and empowerment for you." She paused again to regard the young blonde. "It would end and you would forget. But when I learned that the Sands of Time had been introduced into the mix I feared that that would no longer be true."

Regina opened her mouth, as if to ask a question but she was quickly silenced when Blue turned to her and said "Please. All questions will be answered, but first there are some people I would like you all to meet. Come this way."

Without further discussion, she led the party to her office where she used both hands to push open the double doors to reveal four oddly dressed individuals awaiting their arrival. "I would like to introduce you all to Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos and Cronus, - otherwise known as The Fates and The Lord of Time."

Silence settled over the group as the magnitude of the visitor's importance struck them, or most of them anyway. Young Emma had picked up that they must be important and kept her mouth shut whilst her older version just couldn't help herself.

"Weren't they in Xena?" Emma whispered in Regina's ear, earning herself two very different reactions from the assembled group. The first was a swift elbow in the ribs from her beloved and the second was a hearty laugh from the man himself.

"Emma Swan." He stated affectionately whilst taking a step toward the Sheriff, holding out his hand with a smile. Emma stalled for a moment before reaching out to shake the man's hand. She may not know exactly what was going on, but that was no reason to be rude. "Our stories were indeed told in Greek mythology... and Xena." He said with a chuckle as the three other guests rolled their eyes somewhat fondly.

"It is good to finally meet you, Saviour." He said nodding his head in reverence. Emma's face began to blush at the use of one of her many daunting titles. Here she was, receiving respect from an actual God.

"Don't be modest child." He continued. "There have been many potential saviours throughout the ages, but you my dear are the first in a very long time to actually pull it off." At her instant look of confusion, he continued to elaborate. "Very soon you will become the saviour of all of the realms."

"What do you mean, what is about to happen?" Emma questioned.

"Something very important, but that isn't why we are here. That will take care of itself." Cronus replied.

"OK..." Emma answered in confusion. She was not a fan of cryptic but she realised that it was pointless asking him to elaborate on what he meant. "Why are you here?"

"Your current predicament." One of the women interjected. "It lends itself to a unique opportunity."

"How so?" Regina asked, she had been quiet up until now but her curiosity had finally gotten the better of her.

"Regina Mills" One of the other women said whilst moving closer to the brunette. "Your life thread is strong. Stronger now." She finished by looking pointedly between her and the blonde.

"The saviour has suffered much." The first woman continued. "By bringing her younger self here you have created a chance for her to have a better life, free of many of the hardships she had endured."

"How?" Someone said. It didn't really matter who as they were all thinking it.

"All of life it's self is indebted to you, Saviour. Us included, many times over. Now, it is within our power to finally give you something back." The third woman said, finally joining the conversation.

"I don't understand." Both Emma's stated in tandem.

"You are and forever shall be the Saviour." Cronus said to the older version. "It is your destiny." He paused and turned his attention to the younger one. "However, it doesn't have to be yours. We can separate you from your fate."

"Pardon?" The teen asked in disbelief.

"We are here to offer you a choice. Stay in Storybrooke with your family. Have a happy life without the expectations of your destiny."

A shocked silence blanketed the room. Could what they were offering really be possible?

"Wouldn't that destroy the whole time line?" Regina asked.

"No." The second woman said. "We are proposing the creation of a duplicate life tread, one to continue on towards destiny and one to remain here."

"So, it's possible for her to remain here and everything remain as it is?" The Sheriff asked, just to clarify the situation in her own mind.

"Yes." Cronus answered simply.

Again, silence settled on the group.

"Oh Emma!" Snow finally exclaimed. Up until now she hadn't dared open her mouth, she hadn't really understood why her presence had even been required but now she understood perfectly. The gift the Gods were offering would affect her as much as anyone else. She would get a do over with her teenage daughter, she would get the chance to help her navigate her way into womanhood and the prospect couldn't have made her happier. Before thinking she rushing forward to give the youngster a hug. "That is fabulous news! You could live with us!"

"Yeah Em." Henry added, using a nickname he had come up with during the last week. "That would be awesome! You can be like my cousin or something!"

"Yeah." Em said quietly in return. "That would be... awesome."

 **AN: Sorry this took so long. I have been observing a brief mourning period following the news that Once is coming to an end. It is a long way off perfect but I do love it so. Especially Lana's face, which I will miss.**

 **Anyway, onwards. This tale is drawing to an end. I have an outline for it to finish with chapter 30.**

 **As always, thanks for your kind words of encouragement. For some unknown reason, FF didn't notify me about the last chapters reviews. I was starting to feel like everyone hated it until I found them all the other day :)**


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"The decision is yours Emma." Cronus said, pulling young Emma out of the foggy depths of her confused mind. "Stay and be free of the burden of your destiny or go back and embrace it. Think carefully about what you want young one, when you have made your decision you need simply call out our names and we shall come to you."

It took a few moments for his words to settle in the young blonde's mind. She had just been offered the greatest gift that she could ever imagine, something she had wished for her whole life. The chance to live with her parents and be surrounded by their love. And yet for some reason, she wasn't grabbing at it with both hands.

"Tha... ank you, I will." Emma replied quietly. With a kind smile, Cronus nodded his head whilst he and his three companions vanished into thin air. All the occupants of Blue's office stood in silence for a few moments, unsure of what to do or say. It was Snow that finally opened her mouth.

"What is there to think about?" She asked with her typical air of cluelessness. "This is truly wonderful! I get my little girl back." She said as she again engulfed the teen in her arms.

There were so many thoughts thundering through the young woman's head. She was so entirely overwhelmed by the last ten minutes that she found her newfound mothers attention suffocating. She needed air and she needed space, unfortunately it didn't seem like Snow was going to give her that. She squeezed and squeezed and it was too much, it was all too much. Instinct drove her to get away so she shrugged and pushed the woman aside as she franticly backed away.

"Emma?" Snow exclaimed in question and disbelief. Snow's instinct was to soothe and calm her child, so when she took a step towards the now panicked teenager the young blonde held up her hands and in the blink of an eye, vanished in a swirl of pure white light.

"I don't understand." She said sadly, turning towards the older version of her first born. Emma could see that Snow was devastated by what she clearly saw as a rejection from her younger self. But Emma knew that wasn't the case, so she did something she very rarely did and stepped forward to take the now crying woman into her arms.

"Shhhh, it's ok Mom. She didn't mean it. She is just scared and overwhelmed. She just needs some space is all." The Sheriff soothed.

"I thought she would be happy. We had such a fantastic weekend together. I don't understand why she isn't happy that she gets to stay."

"It's just a lot to take in Mom. She needs time to process. Come on, let's get you home." Emma said, encouraging Snow over into David's waiting embrace.

"Come on Honey." He said softly. "Everything will work out fine, you will see." He promised whilst leading her towards the door.

"Wait!" She said before exiting. "Shouldn't someone go after her?"

"We will find her." Regina promised softly, Snow nodded thankfully before turning and leaving with her husband.

Emma thanked Blue for her involvement before Regina, Henry and herself left too.

"Where do you think we should look for her?" Henry asked when they were back in Regina's Mercedes.

"We don't need to look, I know exactly where she is." Emma replied. "But I meant what I said, she needs space right now. Let's go home and we will send her a message."

* * *

After vanishing in a cloud of smoke, Emma re-materialised and immediately dropped to her knees and gasped for air. When she had caught her breath, she looked around and was surprised to find herself all alone in the Mayor's office. She was confused about why she was there for a moment, until she remembered that she had magic here. She must have transported herself away to somewhere she felt safe and she wasn't surprised to discover that that involved the Mayor.

She had been so busy enjoying her time with her new friends and family that she had forgotten all about her magic. Which was surprising as she had always dreamt of having magic and what she would do if she did, but for the last week, she'd had it and not once thought to use it. She had been sharing a house with two witches and had never once seen them use it either, magic was just a tool here, not way of life. It was just a small piece of the puzzle that was the woman she would become, or could choose to become.

Still, it was very cool and if she stayed, she could explore it more.

If.

If she stayed, she could live with her parents and adorable little brother. She could have a chance at a happier life, no childhood pregnancy, no jail time and no more feeling unloved and unwanted. The love she had found here was phenomenal and she was tempted, but what would she be losing if she accepted the offer?

If she stayed, she would never be Henry's mother, she would never be Regina's lover. That role was already filled by her older self. She would never get to experience the feeling of her lips against those of the woman she already knew that she loved with all of her heart and soul.

If she stayed, she would have to watch from afar as her older self got to touch and love the brunette whilst she only got a small part in her life.

But maybe she could do that, because she didn't want to disappoint anyone. The way Snow had looked at her when she had backed away was heart breaking and Henry had looked at her with such love and excitement when it was mentioned that she could stay. She was wanted here, they really wanted her and she had never had that before. Maybe that was too good an opportunity to pass up.

She finally made a move to go and sit at Regina's desk and as she did she accidentally nudged the mouse and woke up the computer. It opened on Regina's email account and at the top was an unread message entitled "Emma, please open this message." She clicked on it and the screen was filled with three familiar faces. Her future son, her future girlfriend and her older self. In the centre of the image was a play button and when she clicked it the image came to life.

"Come home when you're ready Emma." Regina said as the other two smiled supportively. "We love you."

* * *

Not having the first clue how she had accessed her magic and transported herself to Regina's office in the first place, Emma decided that it was probably a bad idea to try and do it again. So, a few hours later, when she felt ready, she exited Town Hall and started to make her way back to the Sheriff's house. It didn't take her long to jog her way there and when she arrived, she sheepishly climbed the front steps and knocked on the door.

"You don't have to knock, it's your house." Big Emma said with a smirk as she pulled open the door to great her.

"It wouldn't be if I stayed." The youngster replied thoughtfully. As the older version looked upon her young self, she could see the turmoil she was in. Without hesitation she stepped out of the house, closing the door behind her and motioned for the two of them to take a seat on the top step.

"You are right, it wouldn't be." The Sheriff said softly. "However, you would always be welcome here, if you stayed. You know that right?"

"Yeah, I know." The teen said with half a smile.

They sat in silence for a little while, each thinking what to say.

"What would you do?" The younger of the two finally asked.

"I don't think I can answer that Emma, it's not my decision to make."

"I know, but if it was, what would you do?" She asked again.

The older woman thought for a while. She knew exactly what she would do, she would choose Regina every time, in a heartbeat. But she had the privilege of truly knowing what it was like to be with the feisty brunette and she had the knowledge that she could endure the hardships that led her into her arms. The young woman sitting next to her didn't have that. When she was her age she had longed for loving parents, for safety and security. If she had been offered that chance, she would have grabbed it with both hands.

"I know what I would have done when I was your age, but its different for you. I hadn't seen my future."

"You would stay, wouldn't you?"

"At your age, not knowing what the future held, I would have stayed, yes."

"But..." The youngster prompted. Her superpower told her that her older self was telling the truth, but there was more to it.

"But..." The sheriff said pointedly. "I would not trade my life now for anything. I am exactly where I want to be, with the person I want to be with. I am happy. It's taken me years to get here, but I am truly happy."

"So you think I should go back then?"

"I think you need to make that choice for yourself. If you want to be me, if you want my life, then you need to go back. If you want something different, then stay."

Silence fell again as they were both lost in thought.

"Has that helped at all?" The elder of the two asked with a laugh after a short while.

"Yes, actually it has." The youngster answered. "Come on, let's get back to our family."

They both stood and entered the house where they were greeted by a furry flash of black and the worried eyes of a former Evil tyrant. As young Emma bent down to fuss Jasper, the older one took the brunette in her arms and told her not to worry so much.

"Are you ok Emma?" Regina asked when she stood back up.

"I think so." She answered. "I just need a little more time to think, and I should probably go and see my mom. I think I really upset her earlier."

* * *

The rest of the afternoon passed with little incident. The blonde teen had indeed talked to her mother and reassured her that she had just overreacted and that she was really sorry if she had hurt her feelings. Snow had accepted her apology and made one of her own before promising to support the youngster in whatever decision she eventually came to. After that, they had got on with their day.

There hadn't really been much of a discussion over Regina's new living arrangements, but over the course of the week she had been back, more and more of her things had migrated into Emma's house. A fact the Emma was thrilled about, still she didn't mention it because she didn't want to make it 'a thing'. As happy as she was and as wonderful and secure as their new relationship felt, she was still a product of her past and a part of her - admittedly a part that was getting smaller every day - didn't want to do or say anything to spook her brunette lover and bring an end to their wonderful new life.

Regina had thought about the new arrangement though, quite a lot actually. Her taking up residence in Emma's house had been practical to start with, Henry was settled there due to her extended absence in the weeks before and because young Emma wanted to experience her future life.

So, she had just moved in. Everyone wanted her there so why would she want to be anywhere else? She thought that the idea of leaving the mansion would be difficult for her. After all she had lived there for over 30 years and it was literally a construct of her own mind, her own perfect living space, but if it didn't have the people she loved in it then why would she want to remain there?

She was contemplating all of this, along with the events of the day whilst laying in their bed, in the saviours warm embrace.

"You are very thoughtful this evening." Emma said whilst gently playing with the brunette's boobs - an activity she had taken to like a duck to water. Regina smiled as she was pulled from her musing.

"I guess so, I was just wondering how all of this is going to turn out." Regina answered as she stroked her thumb over the back of one of the blondes questing hands.

"I'm sorry, am I putting you off? Do you want me to stop?" Emma asked with a pause.

"Don't you dare!" Regina replied with a smirk. "I love it when you play with my boobs."

"I had guessed." Emma joked. She had figured that out quite early on. After Regina had opened up about why she was reluctant to be touched, she had relaxed considerably and allowed herself to feel the love and care in Emma's caress. Now, being touched by her was her new drug. "I'm not going to lie, I love it too." Emma finished with a twinkle in her eye. Regina chuckled at the admission, she'd had an inkling that that might be the case.

"Have you always been a boob woman?" The brunette asked light heartedly. They hadn't really discussed their sexual history beyond her disclosure about the King. They hadn't discussed it because it hadn't mattered, but neither of them wanted it to be a secret.

"I have." She answered honestly. "Although, even if I wasn't I would make the acceptation for yours."

Regina squeaked her appreciation as Emma squeezed a little harder, distracting her momentarily from the question she was going to ask next. As it happened, she didn't need to ask it as Emma started to talk.

"I haven't had much experience with them, but I have always enjoyed looking." She paused as she considered whether or not to carry talking. "When I was a kid, the fact that I liked women scared the absolute shit out of me. In the environment that I grew up in, the kids that where brave enough to come out were victimised, beaten and sometimes much worse. So I kept that part of me a secret... until just before I ran away. I met a girl." She stopped talking for a moment and sighed.

"Go on." Regina said softly, now listening intently to Emma's words.

"She was different from the others in the home, or so I thought. When she looked at me it felt like she was really seeing me. She looked at me like I was beautiful."

"You are." Regina stated whilst brushing some hair behind the blonde's ear. "What happened?"

"We became inseparable, being around her made living in that shithole almost bearable. Anyway, it turned out that she was only really interested in my skills as a thief. One day she asked me to steal her a particularly expensive bracelet from a jewellery store. Up until then I had only ever stolen food and the occasional bottle of bourbon so I was reluctant, but I thought that she loved me, so I did it. Later that night she disappeared so I went looking for her, I eventually found her in one of the boy's rooms giving him head. When she saw me she laughed. I was heartbroken. She finished him off before she turned to me and said "What? You didn't really think that I was like you did you? A fucking dyke?" I left that night and never went back."

"Oh Emma." Regina soothed. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"It's ok, that was my life. It was cruel and harsh but I made it through. It did put me off girls for a few years though." She laughed as she quickly brushed away a tear from her cheek. Emma seemed to want to make light of the story she had just told and Regina was more than happy to oblige. This is what they did, they talked, they laughed, they cried, they supported each other in any way needed and now Emma needed to laugh.

"Well, I for one am glad you decided to give us 'girls' another go. You are an excellent recruit to our Sapphic ranks and just to confirm, I will never ask you to steal anything for me as I am more than capable of doing that myself. Also, you will never catch me giving 'head' as it is not something I particularly enjoy and lastly..." She paused and smiled cheekily. "You can play with my boobs anytime you like." It worked, Emma let out a hearty laugh as she pulled Regina tighter into her arms.

"You are an ass." Emma said into the brunette's neck.

"I am, but you love me anyway." Regina sassed back.

"That I do." She said before peppering her with light kisses. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"The whole 'head' thing, I totally get that. But would you?... Do you...?"

Regina knew exactly what she was asking, Emma had gone down on her multiple times already but when Regina had made moves to reciprocate, the Sheriff had stopped her. Some women didn't like that, apparently, so she hadn't pushed it, but now it sounded like she did want that after all.

"Oh Miss Swan." Regina purred in her deep and sensual voice. "I am no Pillow Princess, believe me." Emma gulped at the surge for arousal that flooded her sleep shorts.

As if to prove her point, the brunette quickly spun in her arms and started to make her way down towards the part of Emma that was now throbbing with excitement.

"Wait, wait!" Emma said as she moved back on the bed. "I'm all icky down there, I need to wash first." She had only had a shower an hour ago.

"Honey, is that why you haven't let me before?" Regina asked softly.

"Mmmm." Emma replied shyly. "I haven't... No one's ever done that before... I want to be clean for you but I didn't want to get out of bed, I didn't want to leave your arms to wash." Regina smiled at the admission.

"Emma." She said lovingly. "You only showered an hour ago, you don't need to wash before hand, in fact I would prefer it if you didn't. That 'ickiness' as you put it, is what happens when you spend an hour stroking my breasts, I want to taste it." With that she fixed Emma in a fiercely intense but loving stare. After a moment she broke the stare by nudging the blondes nose playfully with her own. "However, if you still want to clean up then that's perfectly fine. But you don't have to leave the bed to do that. You have magic." She chuckled.

Emma looked at her in total shock, she hadn't even considered that the other woman might want to taste her excitement. She loved going down on the brunette, the taste and the smell all adding to her own pleasure, but she had thought it rude to assume that Regina would like it too. She was dying to know what it felt like, to have a tongue exploring her most intimate areas, but she also wanted to make sure that it was nice for her lover too and she had assumed that that meant being shower fresh. Her brow knitted as she processed what the brunette had said. Oh and magic, of course, she had magic!

"Oh yeah." She finally said and made a move to run her hand over her intimate region to clean herself up. Before she did though, she caught her lovers eye and remembered her words. Instead if cleaning herself, she waved her hand and made her shorts disappear.

"A little eager are we dear?" Regina teased with a raised eyebrow. When all Emma could do was blush, she gave her a wink and dived right it.

Emma was in heaven. With every swish of Regina's extraordinary tongue, she flew higher and higher. She teased and she lapped eagerly, just as she set a discernible rhythm, she would change it, draw back and blow cool air onto her now hard clit or gently suck at it, or quickly circle it. She kept her on the edge of bliss for what felt like an eternity to Emma. But hell, she wasn't about to complain. Eventually the brunette brought her fingers into play and when one brushed against her entrance Emma's hips bucked to meet it.

"Inside, please!" Emma begged and her Queen quickly obliged, pushing two fingers agonisingly slowly into her before curling them up to find her G-spot. When they found their destination Emma gasped at the sensations thundering through her body. Regina stopped teasing then and went to work creating a steady pace in and out, the whole while lapping at her clit and bumping her G-spot with every thrust. Emma's hips took on a life of their own as they moved with the motions of her lover and after a short while she screamed as her release finally came.

Regina lovingly drew out her enjoyment by taking on a now gentler pace and as Emma started to calm she crawled back up her body and curled into her side.

"How was that for the first time?" The brunette asked whilst softly caressing her lover's tummy.

"Fucking phenomenal!" Emma declared as Regina chuckled at her enthusiasm.

 **AN: Sorry, I got a bit sidetracked by sexy times in this chapter. We will be back on track with the story next time, I promise!**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

 **AN: I wrote this purely to cheer myself up as I have felt like crap all week. Judging by the reviews for the last chapter, I assumed you guys wouldn't mind if I posted it.**

 **Warning; there is no plot whatsoever in this chapter. It's all about sexy shower time and Regina's blatant mirror kink.**

 **If you are here for plot then feel free to skip this chapter.** **We'll get back to that next time I double promise.**

"Fucking phenomenal!" Emma declared as Regina chucked at her enthusiasm. They laid together for a while as Emma slowly came back down to earth. After a while, they both began to feel the pull of sleep. Regina however, wouldn't allow herself to succumb.

"I'm going to quickly jump in the shower, before I get too comfortable." The brunette said while playfully swatting at the blonde's thigh. She had been in the process of getting ready for one when the Sheriff had pulled her into her arms and settled into her extended boob stroking session, Regina had had little motivation to complain though.

"Oh yeah? Fancy some company?" Emma questioned with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

"Come on then." The Mayor said with an obvious dose of fake annoyance as she stood up and made her way towards the master bath. When she entered she began to take off her clothes and place them neatly in the hamper, ready for laundry day. Emma on the other hand casually sauntered in after her, pulling her tee off and dropping it on the floor in one surprisingly graceful motion before turning on the shower and jumping in. Regina briefly shook her head at her antics before following her lead.

Once in, she was faced with Emma's back as the blonde stood directly beneath the flow as she fiddled with the controls to make the temperature just right. Without thought, Regina grabbed Emma's favoured shampoo and squeezed a dollop into the palm of her hand. When the Saviour had completed her adjustments, she turned to investigate where the older woman had got to and was surprised to find her right behind her with a sweet and loving smile on her face. Emma smiled back and stepped out of the shower stream to get closer to her. As Emma put her arms around Regina, the brunette stretched up onto her tippy toes and place a sweet kiss on her forehead before raising her hands to start gently working the shampoo through her now wet locks. Emma was initially surprised by the act, having expected crazy hot shower sex, but she had to admit, this was nice too. It was nice to be cared for in such a loving and gentle way.

Emma's heart soared as Regina tenderly massaged the shampoo into her scalp before running her fingers through her wet tresses and teasing it down to the tips. Washing long hair is an art form that Regina had perfected in her younger years when her own hair was even longer than Emma's, it took time. Time she was glad she no longer needed to spend on herself but was more than happy to spend on the beautiful blonde before her. She was thorough and gentle and Emma's heart was ready to melt when she was finally done. With her hair care complete, she wanted to return the gesture, so she looked around to find the brunette's expensive shampoo and made a move to squeeze some out.

"Not too much." The brunette suggested as the blonde went to squeeze out the amount she would use on her own hair. "I haven't got as much hair as you." She said with a smile which in turn, made Emma laugh.

"Thanks for the reminder. I once cut my hair really short and it took me months to get used to using less shampoo." Emma said with a smile as she remembered the many times she had cursed herself for using far too much.

"The first time I showered in this world was a foam filled disaster!" Regina added, remembering a similar incident from her own past. "What passes as 'product' in the Enchanted Forest is nothing like here. You need tonnes of the stuff. That coupled with the face that my hair was considerably shorter all of a sudden, it took me forever to wash it out."

Emma couldn't help but laugh at the thought of the Evil Queen making a similar mistake to her own.

"The big bad Evil Queen Vs the never-ending soap suds! Now that I would have paid to see." Emma laughed. Regina smiled too but it didn't reach her eyes. "What's wrong?" The blonde asked.

Emma liked to do that, joke about the Queen, but for Regina there was very little to joke about. She had been a monster.

"The Queen, she will always be a part of who I am Emma." Regina said sadly.

"I know that." Emma quickly replied, allowing no time for Regina's self-doubt to take root. "But you have fought so hard to change. I know she will always be a part of your past baby, but she is just one part of the amazing woman that you are now and I love you so so much. I love every bit of you so that means I love her too. In fact, a save a little bit extra for her, because she needs it more."

"I don't know how you can love her... how you can love me." Regina said honestly.

"I don't know how I couldn't." Emma said, dropping a kiss onto Regina's forehead before smiling and returning to her previous silliness and going to town rubbing in the brunette's shampoo. After finishing up a minute or so later she guided the other woman under the stream to wash away the suds. When they were all gone she slowly leaned in and whispered; "I love every bit of you Regina Mills." She pulled back in her arms and looked lovingly into her eyes. "This bit." She said running her thumb over the scar on the older woman's lip. "This bit." She said, kissing her neck. "This bit." She repeated, dropping her lips to her shoulder. "And this bit." She said more seriously as she placed her hand over the darkened heart of her lover. It was a simple gesture but it meant the world to Regina, it was love and it was acceptance. She had been the Evil Queen, there was no benefit to be gained by trying to pretend otherwise. She had to live with the knowledge of all the dark deeds she had committed and it was important to her that Emma understood that. Now she was beginning to see that she did.

"Oh, and these bits too." Emma added as she gave the brunettes boobs a quick jiggle. Regina laughed as she swatted the younger woman away. Oh how she loved her ability to display such deep understanding, but would never let her dwell on those emotions.

"Stop that." She eventually said when she stopped laughing. "We need to shower."

"We are showering." Emma replied simply while reaching for the soap.

What followed was a hot make out session as they worked together to get clean. Regina made a show of dribbling the shower gel down Emma's breasts and toned abs and after she had replaced the bottle in the rack, she turned her attention to lathering up her attentive body in more ways than one. She took her time, worshiping every bit of flesh available until eventually her hands made their way down to gently clean the short, soft blonde curls between the saviours legs.

Every bit of Emma tingled as a result of the attention she was receiving. Enough was enough, she wanted to touch too, so she turned the tables and dropped her head down to Regina's chest where she began to lavish her dusky nipples with delicate attention. After a few minutes, having succeeded in working them up to stiff peaks she began to move her head further down the brunette's body.

"Stop." Regina said reluctantly in a lust deepened voice. "Let me finish washing and we can get out. Shower sex is never as much fun as you think it will be and I for one don't want to have to explain why one of us had been hospitalised due to a fall." She finished after regaining a little control.

"Ok old lady." Emma said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Call me that again and you will be sleeping on the couch." Regina sassed back.

They hurriedly finished up in the shower and took a long time carefully drying each other off. When they had finished Regina placed a chased kiss on her lover's lips before suggesting that she go and get comfortable in bed while she applied her body lotion.

"I want to help." Emma said without hesitation, taking the small bottle out of Regina's hand and repositioning herself behind the slightly shorter woman who was now standing facing the mirror above the sink unit. Regina carefully watched the younger woman's reflection as Emma poured out some lotion and rubbed it between her hands to warm it up, when she was satisfied that it was a suitable temperature she reached her hands around and started to work it into Regina's shoulder. It felt so good, having gentle, yet slightly rough hands make their way down her arm before repeating the action on the other side, all the while watching the action carefully in the mirror. Emma squeezed out more, again warming it before turning her attention to the other woman's back where she yet again did a meticulous job of applying the cream. When she had finished there, she again squeezed more onto her hand and Regina braced herself with both hands on the counter in front of her in anticipation of where those hands would go next.

Emma pressed her front tightly into Regina's back as they both studied the image reflected back at them. The brunette could feel the Sheriff's hard nipples and delicious heat as her hands now turned their attention to her sides, applying the lotion diligently from each under arm to the curve of her hip before moving on to the brunette's trim stomach and finally her full bosom. All the while, Emma's mouth kissed the flesh just behind her right ear as she occasionally panted out affirmations of her love.

Her hands moved expertly, again working the brunette's nipples up to stiff, needy peaks with her now slightly rougher touch. This bliss lasted for a few minutes until there was no more lotion left to spread.

Suddenly, Regina felt Emma step back away from her and the loss of contact was almost too much to bear. She turned to see where she had gone and was surprised to see the blonde lowering to her knees as she squeezed out more lotion. Emma apparently took her offer to help her apply the body cream very seriously as she continued in her task and began to work her way upwards from her Queen's ankles.

Regina had to lean back against the counter when her knees began to feel weak as the blonde's hands reached her inner thigh. She closed her eyes in anticipation as hands got closer and closer to where she desperately needed them.

For her part, Emma was trying her best to control her desire as she found her face a hairs breadth from Regina's now dripping centre, her arousal was there for her to see as it spread onto her inner thighs and smeared there as Regina squirmed in anticipation. It was all she could do not to dive in right then and there but their earlier interactions had given her another idea. Then her agonisingly arousing task was finally complete she stood and quickly rinsed her hands under the tap, she was busy drying them when Regina opened her mouth to protest at the abrupt cessation of her pleasure.

"Turn back around." Emma commanded and Regina found herself unable to deny the request. When she was back facing the mirror, she watched as Emma retook her position behind her. "You like to watch, don't you?" She asked in a gentler, more sensual voice.

Regina exhaled as she thought about the answer to that question, there had always been a slightly voyeuristic element to her personality. When she had been at the height of her reign of terror, that particular kink had served her well, using her mirrors to glean the information she needed to secure her enemies downfall. Her fascination with mirrors ran deeper than that though. In her younger years she would spent hours looking at her own reflection in the hopes of seeing something there that she could like. As time had progressed she had even taken to watching her reflection as she pleasured herself, hoping to see any spark of life in her deadened eyes.

"Yes!" She admitted shamelessly as she reached her left hand behind her to stroke Emma's hip.

"Then watch." Emma breathed into her ear as her hand slid across Regina's stomach and down into her velvet folds. Regina lifted her right leg and placed her foot on a side table to open herself up further to her eager lover. Now she had the perfect view of Emma's questing hand.

Regina was near euphoric at the attention she was receiving. It was sensual and caring and yet perfectly communicated the younger woman's desire for her, all of her. The tenderness spoke to the needs of Regina, Mayor and mother, while purposeful inclusion of a mirror was Emma's way of acknowledging her darker side too. She felt worshiped and wanted and oh so very turned on as she watched her lover take care of her needs.

The blonde put her left hand to good use, pinching and rolling the brunette's left nipple as the fingers of her right brushed against her engorged clit. Regina was quickly losing control as she watched her lover's actions in the large mirror.

Emma needed more moisture to aid her ministrations so she paused briefly, dipping her fingers momentarily down to the brunette's opening in a effort to collect and use more of her natural lubricant. As she did, Regina abruptly stilled.

Emma quickly realised her mistake, Regina had said she didn't like to be entered and she had strayed too close without vocalising that it was only her intention to collect more of her wetness.

Emma's eyes snapped to the reflection of Regina's as she looked back in surprised wonder. Emma looked on as the brunette's gaze dropped down to where her hand was touching her in the most intimate way, she didn't look upset or angry, in fact she looked nervously excited. She lifted her hand off the counter where it had been supporting her and placed it on to Emma's wrist where she proceeded to run her fingers down towards those of the blonde. As she did she took Emma's middle and forefinger in a gentle tube grip as she suggestively stroked them a few times. Emma's eyes blew wide when after a few provocative pulls she gently guided those two fingers down to her slick opening.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked, wanting to make sure that this is exactly what the mayor wanted.

"Yes." Regina said as she caught Emma's reflected gaze and nodded. "I trust you, I want this." That was all the encouragement Emma needed before she used those fingers to gently enter her lover. A brief flash of pain momentarily creased the older woman's brow as she got used to the intrusion but as quickly as it was there, it was gone again. Emma now had her eyes closed as she kissed the brunette's neck and concentrated on bringing forth her pleasure, Regina was busy watching her lovers hand as it moved in and out, marvelling at how the action was creating a pleasure inside her that she had never felt before.

Still, she needed more so she moved her fingers to her clit as the blonde continued to steadily and confidently thrust into her. The new sensations drew a guttural moan from her throat and green blue eyes opened to look upon the scene before her. There she was, finger fucking the most beautiful woman in any realm as she pleasured herself at the same time. Fuck, maybe there was something to this mirror kink after all.

Regina's eyes too where fixed on the action down low until just before she found her release when, on a whim she looked up into her own eyes. Instead of the dead eyes of the monster she had seen looking back at her for all those years, she saw life, she saw passion and she saw love.

She liked it.

In the last second, she looked into the eyes of her lover as her body and mind exploded with the earth shatteringly intense mixture of physical pleasure, love and acceptance.

"I like watching too." Emma whispered as she held tightly onto her thoroughly spent lover.

 **AN** **2: Sorry not sorry.** **FYI** **have revised the ending with chapter 30 idea as I have filled the last few chapters with nothing but smutty nonsense.**

 **Happy weekend everyone!**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

 **AN: Back to the plot.**

The sun began to raise on a new day in the small town of Storybrooke and the young version of Emma Swan - the one that was visiting from another time - rolled over in the bed in her older self's guest bedroom and groaned. She had been awake most of the night thinking about what she had been offered. An opportunity that quite literally was a gift from the gods, the chance to remain in this strange little town inhabited by story book characters and be surrounded by all of the love she had ever dreamed of.

She had found her parents, something she had always hoped for but never thought possible. They hadn't heartlessly abandoned her by the side of a freeway, they had wanted and loved her and had only sent her away so she could save then all. Now she had the chance to finally bond with them, to live with them and be loved by them. She could finally be happy.

It was so very tempting.

Except coming here had given her a glimpse of a love she had never dared dream of, the love of a beautiful and caring woman and a kind natured and goofy nerd of a son. Two unexpected people who loved her with all of their heart and soul, a love that she would never get to experience fully should she accept the offer to stay.

Emma was torn, in her mind it came down to a heart-breaking choice. She had to choose between the love of her parents or the love of her son and future lover. The decision was overwhelming and she had absolutely no idea what she was going to do.

She rolled over once again and huffed loudly, disturbing Jasper - her now nearly ever-present companion - who had been trying to sleep on the bottom of her bed. Sensing that sleep wasn't going to come to either of them, he took the opportunity to slowly rise and pad his way over to the door, indicating that he wanted out to pee.

"Ok buddy, I'm coming." She said as she grabbed the StorybrookePD hoody her older self had given her a few days earlier. She tiredly made her way over to the door and then downstairs as Jasper led the way to the back decking. To her surprise, when she got there she discovered that the door was already slightly ajar. Momentarily puzzled by why that might be, she slid it open wide enough for her and Jasper to squeeze through and investigate.

"You're up early." A rich voice said in greeting. When Emma turned around to find the owner of said voice, she spotted Regina sitting out on the decking, wearing a white robe with a mug of coffee in her hand.

"So are you." Young Emma replied with a smile, hearing that voice always made her smile these days. "What are you doing up?"

"I've never needed much sleep, I like to watch the sunrise." Regina replied. It was true, she had always appreciated the beauty of the sun rising on a new day. Even when she had been in the depths of her vengeance fuelled rage back in the Enchanted Forest she could often be spotted on her balcony greeting the first rays. She liked the possibilities a new day brought with it, the chance that it could be better than the day before. That thought had always offered her hope, albeit fleeting back in those days. This was the first time she had watched it and felt that hope remain. "How about you?" She questioned.

"I couldn't sleep." Emma answered with a yawn.

"I'm not surprised." The brunette replied with sympathetic smile, she knew that the choice she had to make had been weighing heavily on her mind. Emma took a seat next to the older woman as they both settled into a companionable silence, enjoying each other's company in the early sun. "Do you have any idea what you might decide to do?" Regina eventually asked.

"I honestly don't. There's a lot to think about."

"Is there?" Regina questioned. Her response confused Emma, in her mind, there was a great many things to consider as she struggled to come to her decision.

"Yes. Well... I... don't want to disappoint anyone. Mary Margret and Henry really want me to stay." The teen answered in a fluster. "And... and... if I did decide to leave, would I remember my time here? Remembering you guys would sure make those years easier to bear. There are so many unanswered questions. I don't know how I will ever be able to make a choice."

"Does any of those things really matter?" Regina asked calmly with an air of curiously.

Emma opened her mouth to begin to answer the brunettes question but faltered when no words came out.

 _Did_ any of those things actually matter?

"In the end, all that really matters is that you make the correct decision for you Emma. If you want the life that you see your older self has here, the love of your parents, son and... me... then go back and wait for it to be yours. If you want the chance for your life to become something else, then stay. We will all still love you, either way. As long as you have made the choice for yourself, everyone will support you."

Was it really that simple? Had she been thinking about this all wrong?

Suddenly, she realised that she didn't have to give anything up after all, not forever anyway. There was one option that would guarantee her both the love of her parents and the love of the beautiful brunette sitting quietly by her side. If she went back she would eventually get everything she had ever wanted. All she had to do was wait.

She could do that, for love, for Regina and for her son. She could do that.

"I think I know what I'm going to do."

* * *

After young Emma's declaration, Regina had smiled at her reassuringly and pulled her into a comforting hug that lasted long enough to allay any second thoughts the young blonde may have been having. The older woman hadn't asked what the teens choice was, it wasn't fair that she should know before everyone else, this news was important to a lot of people. So, she ignored her curiosity and concentrated on supporting the youngster in any way she could. When their hug finally came to an end, Emma asked her to summon the troops for her announcement. Half an hour, a phone call and a quick change later, she was stood in older Emma's arms in their kitchen, waiting to hear what the teen had to say.

"Ok, here goes." Young Emma began nervously once everyone was there and settled. "As you all know, I have been offered an amazing opportunity. I have thought about it long and hard and it's taken a while but I think I have finally made my decision." Emma paused, everyone else in the room remained quiet as they waited to hear her choice. "Before I say anything else, I just wanted to let you all know that the time I have spent here has been amazing, like the best ever. The love and acceptance you have all shown me has been unbelievable. So thank you... I guess." The teen said awkwardly before turning to face her parents. "Snow and David, I am so glad that I got the chance to meet you both. I have grown up wondering what my life would have been like if I'd had parents that loved me, I can't put into words how wonderful it has been to discover that I do and always did. Thank you so much for your kindness and love."

"Thank you for accepting it." David said with a warm smile. "Getting to know you has been a true gift." At his words, the teen couldn't help but smile back.

"Like I said, it's been a really difficult decision. A huge part of me would love to stay here and live out the rest of my life surrounded by the love that I now see I have had all along, but as tempting as the offer is, I ..." Emma paused, briefly wondering one last time if this was the correct decision. She took a deep breath to steel her nerves, yes, this was right, this is what she really wanted. "I want this life, the one I see you all living here and in order to have that, I have to go back."

"Emma, are you sure you have thought this through?" Snow asked desperately. "Think about what you are passing up." She almost whined at her teenage daughter.

"You promised you would support me." Emma said sadly as she looked upon her clearly emotional mother.

"We do!" David was quick to say. "We support you all the way Emma." He reiterated with a kind smile as he pulled his upset wife into his arms. "If it is truly what you want, then we are happy for you."

"Yes." Snow managed to choke out. "We support your decision honey." She said, as convincingly as she could manage.

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" A sad looking Henry asked in a timid voice. "I mean you were sad and lonely for twenty-eight years before I found you. If you stay you wouldn't have to be. You would be here, with us. We could make you happy."

Emma looked at the sad expression on her future son's face, she knew that he only wanted what was best for her and in his mind that was being here, with her family. Kindness and love literally radiated out of him. He was the kindest boy - well man, almost - that she had ever met and amazingly, she'd had a part in creating him, or will soon. That knowledge blew her mind and the love and pride that she felt for him in that moment only solidified the decision further in her mind.

"I have thought about it, I promise. Those years of loneliness will be worth it when you find me and bring me here. Because then, I will get to be your mother."

"You... you want to be my mother?" He asked with wide tearful eyes. He had long since come to terms with his births mother's decision to give him away, after all it had afforded him the wonderful life he now had. He knew that the older version of her loved him and wanted him very much but for some reason, the younger versions words had really shocked him. After all, she would be the one who very soon, would choose to give him up. "You would give up the chance of a happy life to be my mother?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yes." The blonde teen answered simply. "You are amazing, and knowing I have a hand in creating you makes me feel, no _know_ , that the life I will live means something. I'm going to go back and have you, then eventually I am going to have to give you away. I have to do that to save us all but Henry, I won't give you up more times than I have to. You are mine and I want you." She said with such burning conviction that there was no doubt that she meant it. "I have to send you away so that you can save the most amazing woman I have ever met."

Young Emma's eyes finally found those of her beautiful camp mentor and future lover. Regina had been truly touched by the moment she had just witnessed between her son and this version of his mother. A tear fell as she realised that the youngster was willing to, once again, sacrifice her own immediate future and happiness for her sake.

"You don't have to do that Emma. You have already saved me. You don't have to give up anything for me. Not again." Regina said with a soft voice full of love.

"I might not have to, but I want to. I have thought about this really hard and realised that there is really no other option for me. If I stay, I lose you as my future and I lose Henry as my son. By going back, by waiting a little longer I get it all, you, my parents, everything. I want you all, it just means that I have to wait and I can do that because you are all worth it. I choose love."

Emma's little speech had affected everyone deeply and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. The general consensus had been that she should stay, they all desperately wanted her around but she was right, to stay meant sacrifices, just as returning did. Only by returning would she actually get what she truly wanted, everything.

"So, what happens now?" The older version of the blonde asked.

"With the decision made, I suppose we had better call for Cronus and the fates." Regina said quietly.

"No need child." A female voice said from the corner of the room. When all eyes turned to look at the source, they were greeted by the sight of the four beings who had made the offer. "We sensed a decision had been reached."

"A wise one at that." The second woman said with a wink.

"A wasted opportunity." The third interjected. "Still a decision no less." She said with a nod.

"Our offer has been declined, but perhaps Cronus can offer you something you will accept." The first woman said cryptically. "We shall be on our way. Best wishes Emma Swan and thank you again for all that you will do for mankind." And with a nod, the three women disappeared in a flash of golden light.

"What did they mean by that?" Older Emma asked in confusion.

"All in good time." Cronus answered with a kind smile. "Right now, we have other things to worry about."

"Such as?" Older Emma countered, growing ever more curious about what the Fates had said.

"Such as... your young self's leaving party. Spread the word! For tonight we shall party, as tomorrow your young self will return to your past." He stated in an olde worlde kind of way before surprising everyone by adding "Pot luck at Granny's anyone?"

* * *

After Cronus disappeared, a sombre quietness fell upon the gathered group. It was clear that they all had some thinking to do, so it was decided that they should all go their separate ways for a few hours while they all dealt with the fallout of the teens decision.

Henry and young Emma had high tailed it down to the basement for a final few hours of classic gaming while Regina and big Emma had remained in the kitchen to prepare some food for later.

David and Snow had taken baby Neal and headed back to the loft. Snow had taken the news quite badly, barely managing to hold herself together long enough to hug the youngster and tell her she supported her choice. Ultimately, she did of course support her, she had just really wanted her to stay, to move in and join their happy family. Deep down though, she understood her choice entirely. She was a mother, she knew the desire to be with one's offspring and also the need to be with the one you love. She realised all of a sudden that she herself would have made exactly the same choice.

Still, she couldn't help but shed a tear over yet another missed chance with her daughter.

"I just can't help but think that we have lost her. Again!" Snow finally confessed to her husband upon entering the loft. David loved his wife very much but he couldn't help but feel a little frustrated about her reaction to the teenager's decision. He had wholeheartedly meant what he had said earlier, meeting her at all had been a true gift and he wasn't about to feel sad that he had gotten that opportunity.

"We aren't losing her Snow. She comes back. She might be in her 30's now but we have her right here."

"She should have been our little Princess." Snow said sadly, thinking of the person that her daughter could have been.

"Well, she isn't." David said slightly impatiently, in his mind, dreams of what could have been only serve to ruin the here and now. "She is fire and strength and love. To mope over the fact that she should have been a princess implies that we don't see her as the phenomenal woman that she is! I am so proud of her and everything she has endured. I wouldn't change her for the world, I love her just the way she is!" David paused his impassioned speech as he saw the look on his wife's face. She clearly hadn't considered how her reaction could have been seen as disappointment for the way her daughter had turned out. She wasn't disappointed at all and he knew that. Just sad for the time she had been forced to miss. "It's what she wants, Snow." David said more gently as he continued to talk. "For what it's worth, I think that she made the right choice. Think about it, have you ever seen Emma, the older one I mean, as happy as she is right now? In order for her to become that happy person, she needs to go back." Snow sighed as she thought about what her Prince was saying. He was right, of course he was. "It may have taken her a while, but she finally has happiness Snow. Henry and Regina are a massive part of that. Going back and waiting for her time with them is what she needs to do in order to find her happy ending. I know it's hard but I think we just need to accept that we aren't destined to be a part of her young life."

"You are right." Snow finally answered, her tears beginning to slow.

"I usually am." David joked, earning him a 'this is so not the time' glare. "So, if you need to cry, then cry, or hit something. Hell, hit me if you like, but when we leave this house again to go to her leaving party, we will do so with a smile on our face and love in our hearts. Yes?"

"Yes." Snow replied with conviction.

"I love you." David said with a smile.

"I love you too."

 **Up next... Farewells and maybe a little surprise.**

 **Sorry for the delay but it took a while to get this right. I'm still not 100% happy with it but the four rewrites have taken it to a place I can live with.**

 **Oh and there was the small matter of me running my first marathon last weekend. That kinda gets in the way of writing. The training was all consuming and very mentally difficult but the event itself was amazing. If you have ever toyed with the idea then I thoroughly recommend you do it and while you are at it, why not raise some money for a local charity? I helped raise two and half grand for play equipment for kids with special education needs.**


	31. Chapter 31

**This is long and a lot happens, so settle in people :)**

Chapter 31

Word had quickly spread around the small town that the young saviour was soon to return to her own time and Storybrooke being Storybrooke, its residents weren't about to let her leave without a fuss. When young Emma arrived at the diner later that day she was greeted by pretty much everyone she had met during her time in town, all smiling and offering her some sort of amazing culinary treat. Both versions of Emma were in food heaven, filling their plates to the brim again and again.

"Sweetheart, you are going to make yourself sick." Regina said with a smile as she spotted her beloved Sheriff heading up for her fifth helping.

"But it all tastes so good!" The sheriff replied with a whine.

"I know!" Regina replied enthusiastically. It really was very tasty. "Have you tried Remy's ratatouille?"

"Remy brought ratatouille?! I've been asking him to make me some for years!" Emma excitedly exclaimed as she went off in search of said item. Twenty minutes later, when Regina next saw her love she was sat at a table in the back, absently tickling behind Jasper's ears and looking very uncomfortable.

"You ok my love?" Regina asked as she sat down beside her.

"I ate too much." The Sheriff replied sheepishly.

"I guessed as much." The brunette replied sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, I can't help it." Emma started to explain sadly. "I have this weird thing about food, if it's there, then I have to eat it."

"It's not weird Emma, I understand." Regina said as she took hold of the other woman's hand. It made perfect sense, or at least it did to her.

"Do you? Because I'm not sure I do" The blonde replied with a groan as she dropped her head down onto their joined hands.

"Yes honey. If you didn't have much food when you were growing up and didn't know when you were going to get your next meal, then it makes perfect sense that on some level, you are compelled to eat all that you can while you have the opportunity."

"I never thought of it like that." Emma said thoughtfully. She thought back to all the times she had gone hungry as a child, all the times when she genuinely had no idea when she would get the chance to eat next. Regina was right, it did make perfect sense after all.

As the blonde pondered just how well the Mayor knew her and how special and loved that made her feel, Regina leaned over and placed a sweet and understanding kiss on her head. "You will always have a next meal with me my love." Regina whispered as she smiled into her golden mane.

"I love you." Emma replied in a muffled tone before lifting her head and kissing the older woman on the cheek. As each day passed, she couldn't help but love her more and more. This beautiful woman that knew her like no other ever could, that loved her right back with such surprising tenderness and understanding. Despite her discomfort, she couldn't help but smile wildly as her love playfully nudged her shoulder and mirrored her kiss to the cheek.

"I need some air." Emma explained after a few beats of soaking up their shared moment. As she stood up to leave, Regina sat back and watched as a very full looking saviour shuffled off towards the door.

"Where is Emma going?" Zelina asked as she slipped into the seat next to her sister.

"To get some fresh air, she's not feeling well." Regina answered with a loving smile as she continued to watch Emma as she left the building.

Zelina looked at her sisters adoring face and then turned her attention to what was making her smile so. It was then that she noticed that the blonde was looking a bit fatter than usual and was also waddling just a little.

"Oh my god, have you got her pregnant already!" She suddenly exclaimed with surprised glee.

"Zelina! Will you keep your voice down." Regina admonished. She could certainly do without the mass hysteria a rumour like that would surely cause. "No, I have not gotten her pregnant. I can't have children, remember?" She added, feeling slightly hurt that her sister had forgotten that painful fact.

"I remember that the potion you took prevents you from carrying children. But you can still magically sire them." Zelina stated matter-of-factly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

But it wasn't the most obvious thing in the world, or at least not to Regina. She had never even considered it as a possibility. She had long since come to terms with the rash decision she had made many years ago when she had chosen to swallow that damned potion. She had accepted, with great sadness, that she was forever unable to grow life within her womb, but she hadn't even considered that she should, in theory, still be able to use her magical essence to impregnate another. It wasn't common but it was entirely possible for a magic user.

Her eyes widened in wonder at the possibility. She hadn't thought of it because it hadn't previously been an option, not with Robin. But now, with Emma... there was a real chance that she could have a child of her own. Not that biology really mattered to her, Henry was and always would be every bit her son. But the thought of sharing another child with her blonde love was truly captivating.

"Besides..." The red head witch continued, pretending not to notice that their topic of conversation was clearly something Regina hadn't realised, until now. "If you did want to bear one yourself, I'm sure that together, we could work out a way to make that possible." As she finished talking, Zelina slowly and carefully took a hold of her sister's hand and looked away with watery eyes as she gave it a supportive squeeze.

"Thank you." Regina said sincerely. She was genuinely touched by her sister's words and her offer to help, it was truly astonishing how far they had come on their journey towards being the loving family they each craved. "But I'm not discussing this now and not with you first. It's a conversation I need to have with Emma." Regina continued in a teasing tone.

"Ok." Zelina replied. She knew her sister was right, it was something she would need to talk to her love about. "It would be a cute baby though." She added fondly causing her sister to smile brightly back at her.

The rest of the night was filled with love and laughter, joy and fun. Young Emma smiled from ear to ear as she cuddled her baby brother and danced with her father. At one point, she had nearly cried with laughter as her and Henry had executed a perfect penny in a water bottle trick on a very sporting Granny. Amongst all of that, she had also found the time to talk properly with her mother. When they hugged after their heart to heart, they had done so with love and understanding, happy that the other understood the choices they had each made.

She had also worked up the courage to ask her older self the one question she hadn't dared to before. She had found her sitting outside and surprised her by asking just how bad her years alone had been. The older blonde had thought for a while and answered the only way she could, with the truth. "They were lonely."

It was a better answer than the teen had feared. Lonely. She could do lonely, or so she told herself.

As the night drew to a close and people slowly began to leave, young Emma couldn't help but think that she couldn't have imagined a better last night with her new family and friends.

* * *

The morning came. They always do and with it came the knowledge that it was very soon time for the youngster to leave. The group had agreed the night before to meet up for one last breakfast but unlike the night before, which had been fun and light, the impending departure was weighing heavily on all.

They ate quietly and then all worked together to tidy up, afterwards young Emma then began her final goodbyes. There wasn't much left to say, she had talked to everyone the night before, she had promised multiple times to look after herself and try her best to remember how much she was loved. She kissed her brother and hugged her parents as they showered her in love and wished her all the best.

Then she thanked and hugged her older self one last time before giving her son a playful punch in the arm. Lastly, there was Regina. Her wish come true, her future. The one person she wasn't sure she would ever be ready to say goodbye to.

As if sensing her inner turmoil, Cronus chose that moment to appear and ask if the two of them were ready to go.

"Two?" Regina questioned in surprise. Wondering to whom he was referring.

"You are coming, are you not?" Cronus asked like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I... me?" Regina asked in confusion.

"Yes, this whole adventure started when young Emma met you at camp. As that is where I am returning her to, it's only right that you accompany her back, do you not think?" Cronus questioned before quickly turning to big Emma to say "Don't worry Saviour, I will have her back soon."

The brunette's heart jumped at the idea of getting to spend a little longer with the teen she had grown to care for so much, but she soon realised that that would mean yet again saying goodbye to her newly found love and their son. She looked over at the pair who were lovingly looking back at her, each wearing an equally big smile on their face. She smiled back as her Emma nodded and mouthed the word 'GO'.

"Ok then, let's go." The brunette said confidently as she reached to take a hold of young Emma's hand.

"Wait!" Henry said urgently. "What about Jasper?" He asked with genuine concern, like everyone else, he had grown to love him but he also knew that he had an owner that was likely missing him.

"You've always wanted a dog, right?" Cronus asked with a smile.

"Yes, but won't Ria mind if he stays?" He asked in confusion.

"I don't think she'll mind." The old man answered happily and without further ado and with a flourish of his hand, the young blonde watched as her amazing future life swirled around her. The faces of her family smiled as they shimmered away into memory.

Slowly and rather mesmerizingly the shapes of her future life re-formed into the beautiful lakeshore and cabin where this incredible adventure had started.

Camp Lonestar.

It was bright. Much brighter than it had been in that crazy little town in Maine. The sun was high in the sky and the temperature much hotter. It took Emma's eyes a moment to adjust to the sudden change and when they had she looked around, searching for her travelling companions. Sure enough, Regina and Cronus were stood by her side, just as they had been moments earlier. Emma noticed that Regina had her hand up, shielding her eyes as she rapidly tried to blink away the discomfort of being momentarily dazzled.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked instinctively.

"Yes, it's just really bright." Regina replied as her eyes finally came back into focus. She looked over towards the teen and was surprised to see a puzzled look upon her face. "What's wrong?" The brunette immediately asked.

"You." Emma answered. "You are still you." For a moment, her response really confused the older woman. The teen could tell that she hadn't understood what she had meant so she elaborated. "I mean you still look like Regina. Not like Ria."

With that clarification, Regina frowned and quickly poked out her tongue to trace the scar on her upper lip. After so many years of living with its presence, she had found its absence strange when she had first awoken in Ria's form. Sure enough though, as she ran her tongue over where it should be, she felt the altered texture of scar tissue. Emma couldn't help but giggle at her antics and in turn Regina couldn't help but poke her tongue out in the youngster's direction.

"Oh yes." Cronus said, interrupting their moment of silliness. "Sorry, my magic has overridden the wish magic and well... travelling through time and realms, I have down to a T but unfortunately, I'm not so good at glamours and memory patches. This time around Miss Mills, I'm afraid you will just have to be yourself."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked the elder in confusion. What did Glamours and memory patches have to do with her first trip here? "I thought I was in a host body the first time?"

"Oh no dear, you were yourself the whole time, just with a few extra memories and muscles to make your back story believable."

Regina was genuinely quite shocked by the old man's words, she had felt sure she was in a host body.

"So, Ria isn't real?" Regina asked, trying to get her head around the news. She had sure felt like a real person, with her own differing feelings and expertise it things Regina had never even thought to try.

"Well...yes and no." Cronus said rather cryptically.

"I don't understand."

"Forcing someone into a host body can be a harmful process for all concerned and as the first rule in Fairy lore is that wishes my not cause lasting damage to anyone, it simply isn't done. Wish magic is organic and likes to flow with the possibilities of the people it utilises. Ria is real in that she is one of the many possible versions of you. She is who you could have been had your soul been born to this world."

Could that be true? Ria was fun and light, happy and carefree and had little interest in what anyone thought of her for being that way. She was generous with her time and her love and used it to fulfil the burning need felt to help others and support youngsters who'd had a tough start in life. She was a wonderful person and Regina was astonished to learn that she was actually just a part of herself.

"Now I see why you left Jasper. There is no one here to care for him." She said thoughtfully.

"Quite right." Cronus said while clapping his hands with purpose, shaking the former Queen from her thoughts. "You must excuse me. I have an errand to run and you two have planning to do. Emma is due to leave here later today and currently has nowhere to go. I shall return later to say goodbye." He of course knew where Emma needed to go but he also knew that she had to come to that decision for herself. He nodded before lifting his hand to magic himself away.

"Wait! Please... Before you go, I have a question." Emma called out, desperately hoping for an answer to something that had really been playing on her mind. "When I leave here, will I remember Storybrooke? Will I remember Regina and Henry and my parents? I know that originally I wasn't supposed to."

"Do you want to remember?" Cronus asked softly.

"Very much so." Emma implored.

"Good." Cronus replied with a smile "Because, like I said, I am terrible at memory modifications." As he raised his hand once more to take his leave, Regina could have sworn that she saw him wink before disappearing before their eyes.

* * *

Planning for Emma's life beyond the camp turned out to be shockingly easy and totally heart breaking at the same time. Regina had called child services and despite her pleas for reconsideration, she had been informed that the only place they were willing to offer Emma was in a unit for kids with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Regina didn't need Ria's degree in social care to know that that was the absolute last place the teen should be. She was essentially a good kid and wanted to succeed but sending her somewhere like that was only setting her up for failure. In those places it was either fight or be beaten and fighting back only got you in more trouble. No, there was no way she was going there.

That left the problem of where she _was_ going to go and it was while pondering this that the teen brought up a very good point.

"I'm going to have Henry in a little over a year, right? That must mean that I meet his father soon. Where do I need to be to find him?"

"Portland." Regina had replied sadly. The thought of the teens upcoming hardships was weighing heavily upon her and she was finding the idea of parting ways more and more difficult by the minute.

"Then I guess I am heading to Portland." Emma stated simply.

And with that, it was decided. Emma was going to take the train to Portland and let fate take its course. Regina was very uncomfortable with the plan, wanting to at the very least rent her a room to get her started but Emma was quite adamant that in order to meet Neal, she needed to go and make her own way. It was with great reluctance that the brunette admitted she was probably right and with that, the plan was set. All that was left to do was enjoy their last few hours together.

After Emma had quickly packed her things and deposited them in Ria's... well Regina's car ready for the drive to the train station later, the two women decided to spend their remaining time together on the lake shore.

They had packed a quick picnic and blanket and set off on the short walk to a quiet little beach not too far away. When they got there, they spread out the blanket and settled down into each other's arms and began to talk the afternoon away.

They talked about anything and everything and the conversation was free flowing and easy until an hour or so in when Emma suddenly went very quiet. Regina just sat with her and allowed her to work through her thoughts and a little while later, she began to talk.

"I'm scared Regina."

"Scared of what?" Regina quickly asked.

"In four months some random dude is gonna climb on top of me and get me pregnant. I really want the outcome but I can't imagine ever wanting to participate in the act." She admitted sadly.

"I know very little about the circumstances but your older self has promised me that he didn't force you." Regina replied while rubbing soothing circles on her back. She knew it was little comfort, but it was something.

"That's actually good to know. Thank you." Emma said as they once again slipped into silence and their own thoughts. Regina was again feeling sad that the youngster in her arms was about to embark on such a lonely path and Emma was working herself up to ask the other woman for something she desperately hoped for but knew she probably wouldn't get. After a few minutes, she finally found her brave.

"I really want to kiss you before I go." Emma said in a timid voice. She immediately felt the older woman stiffen in her arms. "Please, hear me out. I know that the idea makes you uncomfortable because of my age but you are my future, my forever love and want your lips to be the first that I feel. Not his. Just one kiss, please."

Emma was right, the thought did make her uncomfortable, but the more she thought about it, the more she realised that the thought of Baelfires lips being the first to touch those of her love made her even more so. Just a kiss, or two. She could do that, for her.

"I understand if it's a no, I..." Emma didn't get the chance to finish her sentence as the other woman shushed her with a finger to her lips.

"It's a yes." Regina said with a smile.

"Yes? Really?"

"Yes."

Emma hadn't been expecting that at all. She had expected a polite refusal but not this. How she started to panic.

"I don't know what I'm doing. I'm sorry if it's awful." She began to ramble.

"Shh. We'll take it slow and gentle."

"No porno tongue, got it." The blonde blurted out. Damn her nerves! As Regina's eyes widened at her comment she saw a quick look of regret, followed by a bright and boisterous grin.

"No porno tongue." Regina confirmed as she absorbed the cheeky smile on the young lady's face, it was entirely Emma Swan.

Regina leaned in first as it was clear that beneath her mirth, Emma was very nervous. She began by gently brushing her lips against those of her future lover. As soon as Emma felt those lips ghost her own, all of her anxiety melted away as she closed her eyes, relaxed and got lost in her own personal heaven.

The brunette's lips made contact again and this time they stayed against her own for a little longer. The younger woman's breath quickened and when she opened her eyes again the world was a blur.

The next time, Emma moved forward to initiate the kiss. She was slow and gentle, just like Regina had been with her. This one lasted longer and she could feel the other woman shifting gently next to her as she raised her hand to touch her cheek. When they next broke apart that hand remained against Emma's cheek as Regina stroked it with her thumb and smiled while looking deeply into the dilated eyes of her companion, both took a few breaths as they enjoyed their shared connection.

Eventually, having both calmed a little, they both began to move at the same time, closing the small gap between them and meeting in the middle for the most meaningful kiss yet. This time, after a few beats, Regina slowly opened her mouth ever so slightly and tentatively and delicately licked Emma's top lip. Instinctively the blonde followed suit and when she felt the older woman's tongue waiting there for her own, the ensuing rush of emotions she felt was like nothing she had ever experienced before. A wave of immense desire rushed throughout her body, making her nipples rock hard and causing her stomach to flip before setting straight between her legs. It was so super intense that she needed to break away and gasp for air as she laid out on her back.

"Are you ok Emma?" Regina asked, keeping the bit of space the blonde had created between them. As she looked at her she saw her hard nipples straining against her tee and immediately looked away to preserve Emma's modesty.

"Yeah." Was her eventual answer as she slowly sat back up. "That was amazing, it was just a little overwhelming."

"Yeah." The brunette answered, keeping her eyes averted. "It usually is between us." She smiled.

It was then that the blonde noticed that for some reason, the other woman wasn't looking at her. As she looked down she saw her obvious state of arousal and immediately understood that she was being polite.

"Shit, these things are so hard, they hurt." The blonde stated as she lifted her fingers to touch one and winced.

"Sorry about that." Regina shyly smirked, both uncomfortable and thrilled that she had caused that reaction with just a kiss.

"Don't be." Emma said as she reached out for her hand. "Thank you for that, it was incredible. But now I need to cool off." She stated as she rose from the blanket. "Lets have one last swim."

* * *

An hour later, they pulled into a parking space at the station and silently made their way, hand in hand towards the ticket office. With Emma all set they then made their way onto the platform to wait the remaining few minutes before the trains arrival.

Just as the arrival was announced an old man appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"Just in time I see." Cronus said happily. "I've come to wish you safe travels young Saviour. That and to offer you one final gift before you go."

"Thank you very much Cronus." Emma replied with a smile. "But you have already given me the best gift I could ever hope for, my memories of what's to come. Accepting anything else would be too much." At this response the Elder simply smiled at her humility. The group were briefly distracted by the train pulling into the station and opening its doors.

"You, child, are the most gracious and humble creature I have ever had the fortune to meet. You really are something very special. You turned down a happy and full life to fulfil your destiny and save your family, and you are doing so with a smile on your face. By choosing this path, you have taken on more then you will realise for a long time to come and because of this, this time around the Powers That Be insist that you accept our gift." As the teen began to shake her head the old man lifted his hand and gently cupped her chin. "You will like it, I promise."

With that reassurance, Emma finally smiled and nodded in acceptance. In the back ground, boarding was being called.

"Our gift is this... Five opportunities to call upon the presence of your..." He paused, not quite knowing how to define the current state of the two women's relationship. He suspected that neither were quite ready for what he had nearly accidently said. "Well, Regina." He fumbled out. "Five times that you can call upon Regina to come to you."

"Oh my god, really!?" The youngster exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of the few people still stood on the platform.

"Really." The old man laughed out, thrilled with her enthusiasm. "When you need her, just call out with your mind and she will come. Use these visits wisely, young one. Now get on the train! Go, now and be safe."

"I will I will! Thank you." She said while she threw her arms around the old man.

"Did you hear that Regina?!" Emma said as she turned to face the shocked older woman.

"I did. I can't believe it. That's wonderful!" The brunette exclaimed before registering the final call. It was time to finally say good bye, but thankfully not for as long as she had thought.

"I am going to miss you." Emma said first, her eyes tearing up.

"I'm going to miss you too, little one." Regina answered in the same state.

"This isn't goodbye forever, it's just for now." Emma said, almost as if she was reminding herself too. "I will come and find you. I will break your curse and I'm going to see you again before I do!" She said as she gave Regina one last hug and jumped on the train to find a seat.

"See you soon, little one." Regina whispered as she watched her settle in the carriage. They caught each other's eye one last time as the train pulled out of the station.

Eventually, she turned to the man standing beside her with tears staining her cheeks and smiled.

"Thank you so much for all you have done."

"You are welcome your majesty. She is very special you know, your true love."

Regina frowned at the use of her former title, why would the lord of all time be referring to her in such a way? Wait, had he said true love? That thought instantly trumped her previous one. Could it really be true? Could the blonde really be her true love. She thought on this of a moment and realised that yes, she was.

"Yes, she is." She started to say, but before she got the chance to add any more on the subject she felt a strange tugging at her gut as she heard the words "Regina, I need you!" in her mind.

In a swirl of colours the train station disappeared and was replaced by the grey walls of functionality and when she looked down she saw she was now wearing a set of blue scrubs.

 **A huge thanks for the response to the last chapter, I know some of you wanted it to play out a little differently so thanks for going with it. Thanks also to guest 1thirteen3. Your very kind words made me smile for a long old time. Whenever I have got stuck and trust me, that has been a lot with this chapter, your words gave me the confidence to trust that I would eventually figure it out. Cheers :)**

 **Plus a special mention to Swanqueen1215 for their great imagining of Emma's farewell.**

 **I hope you like the little twist, feel free to let me know :)**

 **Stay strong people and have a lovely weekend.**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

It was an unseasonably warm day and a very heavily pregnant Emma Swan had been trying to get comfortable enough to get some rest on her prison cot. The last few weeks had been hard, well, truth be told, the whole pregnancy had been hard. What with the stitch up by a guy that she genuinely thought was her friend and the whole incarceration thing. Yes, it had been hard, but the last few weeks even more so. She just couldn't get comfortable.

She didn't really know what to expect when the time came to give birth to Henry and because of that, she was scared, as scared as all hell actually. The medical staff weren't particularly sympathetic towards her, they had made it patently clear that a pregnant seventeen-year-old was not to be afforded any compassion.

Still, she had done her absolute best to do everything right. She had taken the pregnancy vitamins she'd had practically thrown at her religiously and even endeavoured to eat all of her greens.

Yes, she was scared, but she was excited too, because soon she would get to look into the beautiful eyes of her baby boy. Hers and Regina's baby boy.

She found herself thinking about Regina a lot. She missed her. Even when she was getting on well with Neal, she still missed the brunette.

Upon returning to the Land Without Magic after her adventure to the future, she had found it difficult to adjust back to life on her own. She missed her family immensely and fought the urge to call upon Regina's presence daily. However she could only call upon her five times and she knew that she had many years to live through before she would get the chance to see the brunette again naturally, and even then she knew that the Regina she would meet on her twenty eighth birthday wasn't yet the woman she met at Camp Lonestar. She knew that she had to use those five visits wisely so she resisted temptation and lived on the memory of the brief time that she had been loved so completely.

She lived on the memory of playing video games with her son and having cuddles with her baby brother. She lived on the memory of her older selves love for life and most importantly, she lived on the memory of her first proper kiss.

In her loneliest moments, it was thoughts of Regina's love that kept her going.

Then she met Neal and to her great surprise, she liked him. Not in the way that she liked Regina of course, but he was funny and he clearly cared for her a great deal, or at least she had thought that he had. She could tell that his feelings for her were different then hers, stronger. She sensed that he wanted more than their friendship and Emma had felt guilty about not wanting the same. On the night of Henry's conception, she had told him that she didn't feel the same way that he did and he had just shrugged it off, saying that he didn't want any more than what they had and that it was cool. Because of this, Emma relaxed a little.

It was after that that they had shared a bottle of Jack and well one thing had led to another. He hadn't forced her to do anything, she remembered most of it and it had been consensual. She was missing Regina and Neal was offering her a strong pair of arms and some non complicated comfort. He was very sweet and Emma had actually enjoyed it, on a human contact level.

When she woke the next day, she knew that that had been the act that had created her son, she could just feel it and she was happy. Soon that young life would be making his way towards his future and a wonderful and loving mother. Sure she was sad that she had to give him up, but she knew where he was going and it was somewhere far better than she had to offer right now. Plus, she knew that that little boy was her future loves salvation and that he would eventually return and lead her towards her own happy ending.

Gods she was uncomfortable. Her back ached and she needed to pee for the millionth time that hour, plus she had eaten a slightly suspect spicy bean burger in the canteen earlier and it was making her stomach cramp every few minutes or so.

She got up off her bed and started to make her way towards the bathroom, as she did she felt a curious popping sensation and felt wetness begin to slowly trickle down her legs.

She was absolutely mortified, she had always managed to make it to the toilet before. She groaned in frustration and continued on towards her goal. It was five minutes later when she'd had more cramps and the fluid was still trickling that she realised something wasn't right.

"Help!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, hopeful that one of the kinder guards would hear her. She breathed a sigh of relief when Officer Smithy - a young mother herself - rounded the door.

"Ok honey," She soothed, instantly recognising what was going on. "I think it's about time that we get you to the hospital wing."

It was then that the panic truly set in and she found herself mentally reaching out to the brunette.

 _Regina, I need you. I'm scared!_

Regina felt Emma calling out to her and in the next moment she was standing in what looked to be a hospital, wearing blue scrubs.

It took a moment for her to properly come to her senses, when she did she realised that Emma must be here somewhere. That thought caused her to panic a little, what had happened that had put Emma in a hospital? Was she sick? Or maybe she had been in an accident. That thought was enough to spur her into action. She looked around for the closest member of staff but was surprised to realise that there wasn't anyone around. She rushed down the corridor she had materialised in to see if she could see any signs of life. Finally she came across an open office door and when she peered inside she saw an old man wearing a white coat, sighing in frustration as he jabbed violently at the keyboard of his computer.

"Excuse me sir, I'm looking for Emma Swan." Regina said in the calmest voice she could manage. The old man just ignored her and continued to struggle with technology.

"Sir, excuse me!" She said with a little more force. "I'm looking for Emma Swan."

Yet again, he ignored her completely and that only served to make the near frantic brunette angry.

"Excuse me!" She tried one more time as she started to cross the space between the door and his desk. When she got within reaching distance she lifted her hand to touch his arm and found that she couldn't. Her hand was prevented from making contact. It was a very strange feeling, she could feel some resistance against her fingers but at the same time she could see that her hand was being stopped, millimetres from making actual contact.

She lifted her hand again, but this time, instead of trying to touch him, she waved it in front of his eyes. Nothing. No recognition at all, he couldn't see or hear her it would seem. Just as Regina's brow creased in confusion the man's phone rang.

"Yes." He said curtly after lifting the receiver. Regina couldn't hear what was being said on the other end of the line but could tell that it was urgent. "Now?" He sighed is if whatever was going on was a major inconvenience to him. "Who? Swan. Right I am on my way." And with that he slammed the phone back down on the hook and grunted in annoyance before slowly rising to his feet and leisurely stretching out his back.

Regina had heard the name Swan and had very nearly taken off at a run before realising that she had no idea where she was or where she was going. She was forced to wait for the old man and he was taking his sweet damn time. Eventually, he grabbed a large bunch of keys that Regina hadn't noticed before and headed towards the door.

During the walk through the facility, Regina had begun to suspect that she knew exactly where she had been summoned to. Five minutes and a butt tonne of locked doors later and Regina finally caught a glimpse of the very pregnant blonde on a gurney, in pain and looking very frightened. Even though she had been expecting this, it was still truly shocking to see Emma that way. In her mind, it had only been ten minutes since she had last seen the young woman as she excitedly boarded a train towards her future.

"Emma!" She shouted as she quickly made her way towards her.

"Regina!" Emma cried out in response. A small part of her had started to believe that the brunette would not come to her but there she was, rushing to her side.

"Oh my gods Emma, it's ok, I'm here." Regina said as she put her arm protectively around the younger woman's shoulder and kissed her forehead. "I'm here." She repeated, again and again while thanking every god she knew that she was able to touch the blonde.

"How? I didn't think it would work. How are you in here? I'm in prison." The teen asked in confusion.

"Shhh shhh shhh Emma." Regina soothed as the blonde's face contorted in pain. "Magic, it seems that no one else but you can see or hear me. Now breath and concentrate on my voice. Today is the day we meet our little boy. You have done so well little one, you are so brave. I'm here now."

Regina stood next to Emma's bed and with her arm still around her, rocked her until the pain eased off.

"I'm so happy to see you." Emma said with tears in her eyes as Regina pushed the blonde's sweaty locks behind her ears out of the way.

"Me too." The brunette answered as she smiled the biggest smile the teen had ever seen on her face.

"I've missed you so much." The teen said, now openly crying. "I'm so lost. I thought Neal cared about me but he left and I'm stuck in here and I've really fucking missed you."

"I know honey, I know." Regina said, wiping away her tears. "I'm here now though. You called me and I came."

"You did. You really came." Emma said in wonder, almost as if she had doubted it.

"Always Emma, I will always come when you need me." Regina stated passionately.

"Thank you." The teen breathed out in gratitude. Feeling the force of the other woman's promise to always be there when she was needed was overwhelming to an orphan who grew up alone. But she believed it. This wonderful woman would always be there for her. That thought made her tears fall heavier.

"Hey, hey." Regina soothed as she went back to rocking the younger woman in her arms.

A few quiet minutes later, the old man that Regina had followed entered the room, now wearing some scrubs of his own.

"Right Swan, it looks like Swan Jr is going to be joining us shortly." He said matter of factly as he strode towards her and lifted her gown to take a look. As he did, Emma shifted uncomfortably and looked away embarrassedly. "Come now Swan, if you didn't want people looking at it, you shouldn't have got knocked up."

At that comment, Regina saw red. No one was going to talk to the mother of her child like that. She took her arm from around Emma's shoulder and promptly took a swing at the man. As the punch connected, he felt nothing at all. Regina on the other hand felt as if she had punched a concrete wall.

"Mother Fucker!" She shouted as she recoiled and cradled her hand. Emma couldn't help but snicker a little as Regina continued to dance around the room as she continued her tirade of profanity.

"You think this is funny do you Swan?" The doctor asked her scornfully. "Of course you do. All of the filth in here does." He said shaking his head as he turned to leave the room. As he did, Regina used her good hand to flip him off earning another giggle from the blonde.

"Come here, let me look at that." Emma said holding out her hand to the other woman. Regina tentatively offered up her injured hand for inspection. Emma took a gentle hold and held it up so she could get a good look. "It's going to bruise." She said as she raised it up and placed a delicate kiss on the rapidly swelling knuckle.

"It's all better now." Regina answered with a shy smile.

"Thank you for defending my honour." Emma smiled as she gently rubbed the affected hand.

"I'm a fairy-tale character. It's par for the course." Regina answered mock gallantly.

"Well, no one has ever defended mine, so I am very grateful." Emma answered with her signature cheeky grin. Just then, another contraction hit turning her beautiful and bright grin into a twisted contortion of pain. Regina didn't think twice, she yet again wrapped her arm around her shoulder and took her hand, her own pain be damned. As Emma screamed her way through her contraction, a nurse came in to give her some pain relief.

The cycle of calm and pain continued for what to Emma felt like an eternity. She was exhausted and the drugs were making her feel somewhat altered. Regina stayed by her side the whole way through, holding her and whispering words of encouragement.

Finally, the doctor announced that it was time.

"Can I look?" Regina asked excitedly.

"Oh my god, NO!" The blonde almost shrieked earning herself a look from the nurse. She had caught her whispering to herself a few times now and just shrugged, chalking it up to the drugs.

"Please, I would love to see my son being born."

"I'm a mess." The blonde replied tiredly.

"You are not." Regina stated forcefully. "In fact, I've never before seen you look as beautiful as you do right now." Emma heard her words and knew at once that Regina was telling the absolute truth. "Please let me look." She asked again. Emma hesitated once more.

"I'm in prison Regina, I've hardly had the chance to take care of the gardening, if you know what I mean. It's a mess down there. I don't want the first time you see my... girl bits... to be like that."

"Emma honey, you forget, I grew up in a land where razors were hardly the cutting edge of technology so to speak. The last thing any of us wanted to do was have one near our... girl bits. I promise you, whatever you have going on down there, I have had much worse myself."

Emma laughed as she thought about what Regina had said and thought about how much it clearly meant to her to watch her son come into the world. She nodded. She could endure a little embarrassment if it meant giving Regina this gift.

"Thank you." The brunette said with tears in her eyes as she kissed her on the forehead and moved so she could see what was going on down below. Emma shifted uncomfortably as she got used to the idea of the other woman's eyes on her most intimate region.

"Told you it was bad." She said awkwardly. Catching Regina's eye briefly. When she did she was surprised to see a look of near fascination on her face as opposed to the disgust she was expecting.

"It's really not." Regina said with a smile, finding the view to be rather intriguing. She was used to seeing her own almost black curls - when she allowed them to grow, that is – but Emma's golden fuzz was oddly... charming?

"Oh gods!" Emma screamed as the worst contraction yet hit her full on.

"This is it now Swan." The doctor said. "Push!" And she did, she pushed and she pushed, crying in pain the whole time. Regina held her hand and cried along with her as she told the blonde what she could see.

"I can see the top of his head!" She said excitedly. "Oh wow! You're amazing Emma. Look at what you can do my beautiful girl!"

Emma continued to push, spurred on by the look of wonderment on the other woman's face. She pushed and she pushed and Regina squeezed her hand and then...

"It's a boy." The doctor declared apathetically.

"Our boy!" Regina smiled. "Our beautiful little Prince."

"Let me see." Emma said through her exhaustion as she flopped back upon the bed.

"Do you want to hold him?" The nurse that was cleaning him up asked. Emma hesitated, she was drained and still in pain. She was also elated to have finally done something right by bring this amazing and perfect new life into the world. She really wanted to hold him but in all honesty, she didn't think she would ever be able to let him go if she did.

"Hold him." Regina gently urged.

"I'm not sure I can." The young woman answered sadly.

"Yes you can." The brunette reassured softly. She knew how much the older Emma regretted not holding her little boy, Regina didn't want her to make the same mistake this time. "Kiss him and tell him that you love him. He loves you so much."

"Yes." Emma finally answered the nurse. As she stretched out her arms to take him from her.

Regina looked on with love as she watched mother and baby bond over some snuggle time.

"Are you sure you don't want to keep him." The nurse asked, noticing just how comfortable they were with each other.

"I would love to." Emma said with a smile on her face "But this little man has somewhere special to be." The nurse shook her head in confusion but let the comment slide. If that's what the young new mom wanted to believe then who was she to burst her bubble.

"Look what I did." Emma said with such pride as she looked over to where the brunette was watching on.

"You did so well!" Regina replied as she finally closed the gap between her two favourite people and herself. When she reached them, she wrapped her arms around them both and kissed them gently as she thought about what a truly special gift the last few hours had been. "Thank you so much for bringing me here Emma."

"Thank you so much for coming." Emma replied as her eyes started to close. Regina just watched on in pure happiness as mother and baby settled into a little nap time together.

Just as she found herself wishing to the gods that she had a camera she felt the now familiar tug in her stomach and heard the words "Regina, I want you." In her mind.

She knew that her departure was imminent and so quickly bent down to kiss Emma on the forehead one last time. Emma's eyes snapped back open just in time to see the brunette's bright smile and hear her whisper goodbye before she disappeared into thin air.

For Regina, the world once again melted around her as grey functionality gave way to flashing lights and incredibly loud music.

 **AN:** **RIP Once, may you continue to brighten the lives of many in your resting place on Netflix. You have and shall forever continue to brighten mine. Long live the Queen.**

 **See you next time when we catch up with Emma a few years later. Bless her, she's not doing great.**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

It was hot, it was smoky and it was very loud. Ordinarily things that didn't really bother Regina. But being here - wherever here was - straight after the emotional experience of watching her son being born was making her feel very uneasy, the sooner she found Emma the better. After taking a moment to steady herself after the sudden time shift, she took a good look around and saw that she was inside a beautiful old building with large arch windows and lots of pillars holding up a beautifully ornate ceiling. All of the pillars were up-lit and there were spotlights focussed on the windows, showing off the bright colours of the stained glass held within.

She was in a Church, or rather what had at one time been a Church. Now it's purpose was far different. Now it was full of scantily clad young women, swaying around in heels that were far too high for their level of inebriation and young men that looked like they had all been cloned from one of two models, either with an intricately styled fohawk or long shaggy locks, all wearing variations of the same shirt and jeans.

After taking in her surroundings, she took a quick look down to see what she herself was wearing. Low rise loose fitting and ripped jeans and a cute red sleeveless top that stopped just short of her belly button.

"Great, I look like a charmed one." She huffed to herself as she opened the matching red clutch that was in her hand in search of anything useful, to her great relief she found some cash and a credit card.

Her attention then turned, once again to finding Emma, she knew that she had to be there somewhere. When she couldn't immediately see her, she began heading towards a set of stairs that led up onto the old seating balcony, hoping to get a better look across the crowd. However, as she made her way up, someone coming own bumped straight into her.

"Watch it bitch." The somewhat drunk and rude young woman said aggressively. Regina quickly thought that there had been a time in her earlier life when she, as the Evil Queen would have killed the girl for speaking to her in such a way. But times change and here she had other things to think about, like where the hell was Emma.

"Sorry." Regina replied distractedly before continuing upwards. As annoying as the encounter had been, at least it had proved that she was visible here.

Once on the balcony, she made her way to the edge and placed her hands on the railing in order to steady herself as she looked out over the throng of revellers as they all moved in rhythm to the pulsing music. The place was absolutely rammed, she had no idea how she was going to find Emma amongst all these people, but just as she was beginning to think it was in impossible task, she suddenly felt a pair of eyes on her and she knew that Emma was close by and looking straight at her.

Regina's eyes whipped up to the other side of the balcony and stood right there, looking back at her was Emma Swan. With a quick smile of mutual recognition, they both set off around the large opening in the floor to meet each other. It took a few minutes for them both to fight their way around but they eventually stood frozen before each other with matching smiles on their face.

Emma moved first, quickly bringing her hands up to the brunette's face and kissing her lovingly on the lips. It was gentle and almost shy, but it conveyed so much more than a thousand words ever could, it told Regina how much she had missed her, how she had longed for this moment and how happy she was to see her again.

It also let on that Emma had been drinking, Regina could taste white rum on her lips.

The former Queen didn't pull away, how could she when it was patently clear that Emma had been waiting for this moment for goodness knows how long. Eventually, it came to a natural end as the blonde rested her forehead against the older woman's.

"Hi." Regina said after a few beats with a smile, before pulling back a little to get a good look at the younger woman.

"Hi." Was the goofy reply.

"You look older." The brunette said as she began to digest Emma's appearance.

"I am." Emma stated proudly. "It's my 21st Birthday today. It's been three years since I saw you last."

Regina was momentarily taken aback. Three years. Time that had passed in a heartbeat for her, but not for Emma. She knew that she must have endured every passing second of that time with the heavy heart of a mother separated from her son.

"Happy Birthday!" Regina exclaimed as she pulled her into a tight embrace, Emma seemed happy so she was going to go with it. However, it was only now that she had her arms wrapped tightly around the younger woman that she noticed how thin she was. Regina pulled back and looked at her face again, this time she noticed the bags under her eyes, she could tell that she wasn't looking after herself very well and that made her heart hurt. "Let's go and celebrate. I'm hungry, let's eat!" She declared, hoping to get the blonde somewhere quieter so that they could talk more easily and maybe get a decent meal inside her.

"Later, I wanna dance with you first!" Emma replied excitedly as she took Regina's hand and began to lead her towards the stairs that led down to the dance floor.

Regina couldn't bring herself to argue, it was the other woman's birthday after all, but when they reached the lower floor, instead of heading towards the dance floor, Emma took them on a detour towards the tall tables that lined the room.

She ignored the first two as there were young women sitting at them rubbing their feet, but when they reached the third, Emma confidently reached out and snagged two of the drinks that were sitting there unattended. It wasn't until they there a further four tables away that the blonde stopped to assess her haul.

"You want one?" She asked as if it was entirely normal to acquire drinks in such a manner. "This one is rum and this one is vodka I think." She said sniffing them both.

"Erm... no, I'm good." The brunette managed to reply as she tried to process what she had just witnessed. A great manner of thoughts were running through her head, like Emma's ease at doing such a thing which would imply that she did it regularly.

"It's cool, the people in here never notice at this time of night, they are all too drunk."

Regina still hesitated, it wasn't people noticing that had her worried, it was Emma drinking alone in a busy club and drinking god knows what. There could be anything in those drinks.

"Suit yourself." The youngster replied with a shrug as she downed them both before finally heading out to dance. Regina just followed in disbelief as Emma led the way to a space big enough for them both.

"Dance with me." She said with a smile as she pulled the older woman close and began to move along to the beat. Regina was still distracted by the younger woman's actions as she tried to copy her movements, she wasn't particularly familiar with dancing in this realm - or any realm for that matter - but she did her best the join in. After a few minutes the blonde finally noticed her discomfort and, in an effort to help, she pulled her closer and whispered "Relax." in her ear as her hands gently caressed her sides.

It worked, the feel of her loves hands on her body and her voice in her ear temporarily soothed her nerves as they settled into the rhythm. Soon, the brunette was very much enjoying herself.

They continued dancing for a long time as the beat changed again and again. A few times, random guys had tried to dance along with them but they had all quickly moved away when they saw the possessive look on the young blonde's face. It was clear to all that looked that they were together. Time seemed to slow down as they held each other close and got lost in each other's gaze.

Eventually, the pair began to tire and Regina gestured for them to leave the dance floor. Emma happily obliged and led the way, protecting the smaller woman from any sudden movements from over exuberant partiers.

"It's so hot in here! I need to cool down." Regina said as they finally got away from the loud speakers. "Let's go and get that food, shall we?"

"Good idea." Emma replied eagerly before planting a kiss on the other woman's forehead. "I need another drink anyway." And with that, Emma once again grabbed Regina's hand and led her through the crowds and out through the exit into the street beyond.

The city that they exited into was not at all familiar to Regina, then again, not many were. She knew that Emma had moved around a lot in her youth and this was just one of many places she had resided over the years. She was about to ask where they were but quickly stopped herself, she didn't need to know, it wasn't important.

"Where are we going?" The former Queen asked instead as Emma led her off towards an unknown location.

"To my car, I just need to grab something and then there is somewhere I want to show you." Emma replied as she ploughed on ahead, Regina nodded in assent and continued following.

After a few minutes they rounded a corner and ducked down an ally just big enough for a small car to fit down, they kept walking until they got to the end where it opened out into a small square lined with dumpsters. Right in the back corner, there sat a familiar sight, Emma's yellow bug.

"Do you live near here?" Regina asked out of curiosity. She must do if her car is here.

"Erm... yeah. Here." Emma said gesturing at the bug. "The guy that owns the shop out the front lets me park here in exchange for keeping an eye on the place when it's closed."

Regina's heart immediately dropped, it didn't feel at all safe here. There were lots of dark corners and no one around to hear if anything happened. As she contemplated that, Emma opened the car and grabbed a bulky bag out of the back seat.

"Got it, come on, you are gonna love what I've got to show you!" The blonde said with a bright smile as she reached into the bag and pulled out a quarter empty bottle of Jack. Before Regina even realised what was in her hand she had removed the lid and taken a sizable pull.

"You want some? It's legit." She asked through the slight grimace caused by the taste.

"No, thank you." Regina immediately replied, seeing Emma so eager to get drunk sparked her protective side, she was shocked to see the ease in which Emma was drinking the neat spirit, she was worried about her and she felt like she needed to remain sober to look after her. Again, Emma just shrugged as if to say 'more for me' and slid the bottle back into the bag. "I am hungry though." The brunette commented, she actually wasn't at all, she just really wanted to get some food into Emma so that it could help soak up the alcohol she was clearly intending to drink. "Where shall we eat? My treat." She finished with as she held up the clutch bag in her hand.

Emma thought for a moment before excitedly exclaiming "Pizza!" and once again taking the older woman's hand to lead her off in search of food.

Thirty minutes later and with a giant, nearly empty pizza box in hand Emma had finally reached her destination. It had involved climbing over a chained wrought iron gate or two but she had promised that it was worth it and Regina had to admit that it was. She had taken her to a park at the top of a hill that looked out over the whole city, it was utterly breath-taking. As the huge park rolled off towards lower ground she could see it's lantern lit paths criss-crossing the hillside below. In the near distance, as the park gave way to the urban spread of the city beyond, she could make out the lights of beautiful old town houses and a few brightly illuminated churches and beyond that still, she could see the tower blocks and ornate skyscrapers of the city centre, brightly sitting proudly on the horizon. It was one of the most beautiful views she had ever seen.

"Wow!" She said in awe.

"I know right?" Emma said as she began to unpack the bag she had brought, turns out it was so bulky because it was full of several blankets that she was now laying over a bench. "I love coming up here." She stated as she gestured for Regina to sit down. When she did she sat herself next to her and wrapped them both in another blanket. "Right here, you can look out over the city and see thousands of people going about their lives, I watch them and I hope they are happy lives. I sometimes sit here and wonder if anyone's looking back and hoping the same for me." Emma said longingly. It seemed like such a throw away comment but Regina knew better, the young woman was lonely and in desperate need of the knowledge that someone cared about her.

"I'm looking at you Emma. I see you." Regina replied sadly. The blonde just shrugged in response as she reached down to retrieve her bottle from the ground. "Go easy on that, please." She found herself asking as she gently placed her hand on Emma's arm.

"Why?" The blonde asked, genuinely confused by why she shouldn't drink herself into oblivion.

"Because I care about you and you drinking so much worries me." Regina answered honestly.

"I have it under control." Emma replied defensively.

"Do you?" The older woman questioned softly.

"I..." Emma started but couldn't seem to finish.

"Emma." Regina whispered softly. "It's ok, talk to me."

"I just... I miss you both so fucking much. It's like a part of me is missing. It hurts, my soul hurts Regina. When I'm drunk, that feeling goes away for a while." Emma admitted as she began to cry. Regina immediately pulled her into her arms and held her tight.

"It's ok sweetheart." She soothed. "It's ok to want those feeling to go away. I understand that more than most people."

"You do?" Emma asked desperately.

"I do, for a long time in my early life I felt nothing but pain. Pain for my loss and pain at being trapped in a world where no one cared about me. I desperately wanted that pain to go away and I thought that I could achieve that by making everyone else hurt the way I did. I was wrong. It didn't help and nor will this in the long run." Regina said gesturing to the bottle in Emma's hand. "All this is doing is hurting yourself more and seeing that breaks my heart."

Emma looked back at her thoughtfully for a while as she processed what she had said. After a long minute she nodded and bent forward to put the bottle back on the ground.

They sat on that bench for several more hours, settled into each other's arms as they looked out over a restless city and shared stories from their past. Regina listened intently as Emma talked about the places she had been and some of the people she had met along the way. It was nice, for tonight they were just two humans spending time together, getting to know each other better and not worrying about the things the often invaded their conscious thoughts. The whole time they talked, the bottle of Jack went ignored by their feet.

"You are tired, come on, let's go and get a hotel room." Regina eventually suggested and Emma didn't argue, the idea was very appealing after sitting on a cold bench for several hours.

It took a while for them to find their way back out of the park, but they eventually managed it. Emma could have expedited their journey but she found that she was very much enjoying having the older woman's arm around her as she guided the way out. On a road surrounding the park, Regina managed to hail a cab and that took them to a hotel that would take late walk ins. It cost a near fortune but the brunette couldn't find it in her to care as she charged it to her credit card - it was in fact her own in the purse she had materialised with. It didn't matter, she could afford it and it was more important to get Emma a good night's sleep after goodness knows how long of sleeping in her car.

When they finally made it into their room, exhaustion very quickly claimed Emma. Regina sat her down on the bed and started to help her undress.

"Are we going to have sex now?" Mumbled the young woman through her tiredness.

"No honey, we are going to sleep." The older woman replied as she finished pulling off her own jeans before turning off the light, crawling in next to the young woman and pulling her into her arms. Sleep came immediately for both of them.

They slept for hours, they both needed it and there was something incredibly comforting about being together. They eventually awoke to the bright sun of a new day and when she slowly came to, Regina could tell that the blonde was already awake as she could feel her hand drawing loose patterns across her stomach. Somehow in the night, they had gone from the older woman being the big spoon to her lying on her back with the other woman's head on her cheat as the held each other.

"I'm sorry that I'm such a mess." Emma said quietly from the safety of the brunette's warm embrace.

"Hey, hey, hey. It's fine." Regina soothed as she started to gently rub circles on the younger woman's back. "Really. This is hard for you, I know that. I want to help you get through this any way I can and if that means holding you while you cry then that is what I will do. You never need to apologise to me for the way that you feel Emma."

"You really are a wish come true, aren't you?" Emma said dreamily.

"There are many many people across the realms that would disagree with you there." The older woman answered with a depreciative chuckle. "I'm just me."

"Well I think that 'just you' is pretty special." Emma replied as she muzzled in closer.

"Thank you." Regina replied graciously. It had been a long time since anyone had said those words to her. It felt good to hear them.

"This wasn't the 21st Birthday I had in mind if I'm honest." Emma said, breaking the moment that had settled on them.

"What did you have in mind?" Regina asked out of curiosity.

"Honestly? When I called for you it was because I was a little drunk and horny and I wanted to get laid." Emma admitted as she pulled back ever so slightly so that she could see the older woman's face. Regina looked back and couldn't miss the look of guilt written across her features. Upon seeing that, she couldn't help but laugh at her honesty.

"We'll have plenty of time for that next time." She replied with a smile. "Right now, I'm worried about you and need to know that you are going to be ok."

"I don't think that you need to worry." Emma said thoughtfully. "This maybe isn't what I wanted for my birthday, but I think it's maybe what I needed. A reminder that I'm not alone, even if it feels that way a lot of the time. Seeing you, being reminded of that... it sounds silly but I think I'm going to be ok."

"Good, because I hate to see you hurting like this. I love you Emma, unconditionally and I just want you to be the best you that you can be, for your own sake, so you can look in the mirror and feel good about the person that is looking back."

"It may take me a while to get there, but I want too. Thank you." Emma said sincerely.

"For what?" The brunette questioned.

"For listening to me and caring about my wellbeing."

"Always." Regina replied simply as Emma replaced her head onto the other woman's chest as the pair once again fell into comfortable silence.

"I'm probably going to jump again soon." Regina said sadly several minutes later as she squeezed Emma a little tighter. She wanted to stay a while, she believed Emma when she said she would be ok but she wished that just for a little while longer, she didn't have to be alone.

"I know." Emma replied sadly. "Before you do though, can I ask you something?" She asked as she moved her head again.

"Of course."

"Did you mean it when you said we can have sex next time?" She asked with her trademark cheeky smile.

"Maybe." Regina replied with a chuckle. It was nice to see the youngster somewhere close to her happier self.

"So yes than?"

"Maybe." Regina repeated again as she struggled to control the huge grin that was spreading across her face.

"That's definitely a yes." The blonde replied triumphantly. "Oh yeah, next time we are definitely gonna make sweet sweet love." She declared in a silly voice and Regina couldn't help but laugh.

Just as she had begun to tickle the blonde as retribution for her incredibly endearing boldness, Regina once again felt the now familiar tug in her gut as she heard Emma's voice in her mind. "Regina, come to me."

And with that, she was gone once more. The warm comfort of the bed she had been sharing gave way to a gentle breeze and warm sun on her face. Before she even had the chance to open her eyes, she felt familiar arms snake around her waist as a voice she would recognise anywhere whispered "Hello my love." in her ear.

 **AN: A bit dull this one, but I think important non the less. See you soon for... well, you can probably guess ;)**


	34. Chapter 34

Jumping around through time took a little getting used to. Or at least that is what Regina Mills was discovering as she was making her way back towards her present and Emma's future.

So far, she had been present at the birth of her son and then immediately after, she had been dragged forward to meet a somewhat fragile and lonely Saviour on her 21st birthday.

Now she was goodness knows where. Only seconds ago, she had been in a warm, comfortable bed, tickling the younger version of her new-found love as retribution for her cheeky comment and now, all of a sudden, she is standing upright on a bright sunny day feeling the breeze on her face.

She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes closed, partly because it was really bright, and partly because she needed a moment. And that's exactly what she got. One moment. Immediately after that she felt familiar arms encompass her waist from behind and she heard Emma's voice in her ear.

"Hello, my love." The young blonde whispered. Regina smiled at the familiarity but still kept her eyes closed. Emma was here, she knew she was safe, but what was she going to find this time? The younger woman had been so fragile the last time she had seen her. It had been hard to see her that way, especially as Regina knew that she was essentially the reason that the youngster was feeling that way. Her life could have been different in so many ways. She could have been the princess she was always meant to be if it were not for the curse she had cast. Who was she kidding? Emma would have hated being a princess, but still.

She could have had a happy life in Storybrooke if she hadn't made the decision to return to her own timeline so that they could eventually become lovers.

After a few seconds, when the brunette hadn't responded, or really moved at all for that matter, Emma delicately removed her arms and stepped around to look at Regina's face.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked gently.

"Nothing." Regina answered with a sad smile. Her little guilt party would have to wait, she was here for Emma. "Just happy to see you."

"So open your eyes and see me then." Emma replied light-heartedly.

At the blonde's request, the brunette finally found the courage, she slowly opened her eyes to allow them to adjust to the light and then finally looked at the other woman.

Emma looked older again, quite a bit actually, she had begun to mature into the woman that Regina knew so well in the future. Her beautiful cascades of golden hair were glowing in the sunshine and she was dressed in nice clothes that fit her now slightly fuller and curvier figure well. She finally looked like she was taking care of herself.

"Hi." Regina breathed out as she was completely shaken out of her previous line of thought by Emma's new appearance. "How long has it been this time?"

"Nearly four years. I'm 25 in a few months."

Regina closed her eyes again as she processed that information. Another four years on her own.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm ok." Emma said reassuringly as she ran her hand up the older woman's arm and onto her shoulder.

Regina smiled and nodded her acceptance of the other woman's comfort as Emma pulled her into a tight hug and kissed her forehead.

"I'm really ok." Emma repeated as she let go and took a small step back. "Look around Regina, look where we are."

Regina scrunched her brow at the request, she couldn't work out why their location would be of any importance. Still, she complied and turned around to take in her surroundings for the first time.

She recognised where she was instantly.

Camp Lonestar. The place where all of this had begun.

"How are we here?" Regina asked as she turned back to face the blonde.

"I work here now." Emma proudly proclaimed. "There was a vacancy for someone to run a previously successful youth summer programme."

"I don't understand." Regina replied with a confused look on her face. This hadn't happened in Emma's original timeline, how was it happening now?

"I got qualified and took over your old job. Cool eh?" The blonde replied excitedly.

"My old job?" The brunette questioned.

"Well, Ria's." Emma corrected. "The job may have been created by wish magic but that magic did a really good job of it. I looked into it and all the funding applications, reports and risk assessments were real. I reopened your project."

Regina looked back at the younger woman it total disbelief, this wasn't supposed to happen.

"Don't worry, everything is fine I promise. I've had a busy few years." The blonde reassured her after sensing her confusion and rising anxiety. "Come and sit down and I will tell you everything." And with that, she took a hold of the older woman's hand and led her towards the front deck of the cabin they had shared once upon a time.

During the next few hours Regina sat and listened as Emma told her all about the last four years of her life. She had learned that after their last night together, Emma had come to the realisation that she couldn't continue to live her life the way she was. The look of concern she had seen flash across the older woman's face when she had told her that she as sleeping in her car, in an unsecure alleyway had really brought that fact home. She had never really cared about her own safety and in the long stretches of time between seeing the brunette, it was easy to believe that no one else did either. But being with Regina that night, feeling so utterly loved, reminded her that someone did care and that made all the difference in the world.

It was a week or so later, after moving to another town that Emma had really started to carefully consider her options and unfortunately, it hadn't taken her long to realise that she didn't really have many. Her criminal record was a real problem in terms of finding a way out of the cycle she was stuck in. She couldn't get a place to live because she didn't have a job and she couldn't get a job because she had no fixed abode and a criminal record. Just as the thoughts of hopelessness began to creep back into her mind she'd had a chance encounter with a careers fair flyer. It literally blew into her face while she was walking down the street one day, on her way to pick up the latest job pages.

The flyer said that the event would feature careers advisors and was free for all to attend. When she had arrived at the library it was being held in, it had been eerily quiet, she had assumed that it would be quite popular as she knew lots of people out there were trying to find work. Just as she thought that maybe she had made a mistake she was approached by a kind looking man with a big smile who had quickly steered her into a booth.

He asked her one question. Just one.

"What is it that you would really, really like to do?"

No one had ever asked her that before. She had been asked what she thought she could do and told what jobs she might be able to do with a record but she'd never been asked what she actually wanted to do. She thought about it for a moment and came up with a swift answer. She wanted her future self's life, that was the whole point to returning to her timeline. So that she could one day become the Saviour and Sheriff of a small magical town.

"I want to be a Sherriff one day." She said boldly.

"Great!" The man had exclaimed. "Maybe we should start at deputy level first thought hey?" He said with a chuckle.

"Oh, I..." Emma started but couldn't finish. She wanted to say that that wasn't possible, not yet, not in the outside world. She would have to wait until she got to Storybrooke for that opportunity. One of the many things she would have to wait for. "I can't join the Sheriff's department, I have a juvie record."

"Do you?" The man asked quizzically.

"Yeah, I..." She began to answer before being stopped.

"Do you really?" He asked again in a way that was starting to make Emma question her own sanity. She had looked at him questioningly and for a brief moment she had seen his face flicker into that of a familiar old man.

"Cronus?" She whispered as she looked on with shock. The man had quickly winked in acknowledgment.

"Hello young Saviour." He'd said affectionately.

"What... what are you doing here?" Emma managed to ask through her surprise.

"I've come to check in and... tell you something." He had replied sheepishly. At that Emma immediately started to panic. In her experience, when someone said something like that it was invariably bad news. What if he was here to say that she couldn't call on Regina anymore, or worse still, tell her that they had somehow changed things and messed up the future.

"Tell me what?" She'd almost demanded in her haste to get an answer.

"Well it seems that I made a mistake when I first brought you back to your time. Letting you keep your memories has influenced your future in a way that I hadn't anticipated."

There it was, there was the news that made Emma feel like the bottom of her world had fallen out. Changed it how? Was he going to take away her memories of ever meeting Regina and her son? She hoped not as they were literally all that kept her going. Then another thought hit her, what if the future had changed so that Regina and herself never got together? That thought was unbearable. She struggled to breath as a white fog of numbness rolled over her.

"Emma. Can you hear me?" She eventually heard as she felt a hand gently shake her shoulder.

"Influenced how?" She managed to ask even though she was petrified of the answer.

"Nothing that can't be fixed my dear, it just brought certain... life events, shall we say, forward a little. Events that need to happen at specific times in order for you to fulfil your destiny as the Saviour." Cronus answered cryptically. Emma had learned a long time ago not to think too much about some of the things he said as they often gave her a headache.

"How do we fix it?" She'd asked, eager to hear how this was going to be resolved.

"Well, it's become apparent that you can't enter Storybrooke with your memories intact. I figure the easiest way to fix the problem is to have your memories replaced when you cross the town line in seven years' time. That way you get to keep your memories until then and you get to use the remainder of your visits with the Queen."

Relief, huge relief flooded her system. She would eventually have to forget but she didn't have to do it yet. For now, she could keep the memories of the better life that was waiting for her in her future.

"Wait, you said replaced, replaced with what?" She'd asked as she struggled to process what he had just said.

"With your original memories, or well... the memories you should have had."

"Emma's memories." Emma replied.

"Essentially, yes." He said before they both slipped into a contemplative silence.

"You know, there is an upside to this." Cronus had eventually said.

"There is?" She questioned.

"Yes, well, if you aren't going to remember this then there is no reason that you can't be happy. Or happier at least. Now you can do whatever you like without fear that it will affect your future actions."

"I don't understand." She had said, still trying to process all of the new, rather confusing information.

"Your juvie record has been sealed and the recruitment officer for the local Sheriff's department is over there my dear. How about you go and say hello?"

And that was the story of how 21-year-old Emma Swan became a Deputy. She went on to explain that after a year on the job, she had been offered specialist training with youth services and had leapt at the chance to learn how to help youngsters just like herself. She had flown through the qualifications needed and had set up a very successful youth club within the town and restarted Ria's project at Camp Lonestar.

Regina sat and she listened, hanging on every word of the blonde's story and by the end she was in total awe of the amazing woman that was sat next to her. Emma told her of all of her achievements with such pride, she was literally glowing with self-confidence and enthusiasm for life and by the gods was it wonderful to see.

"So, you are a Deputy?" Regina asked with a smile.

"Yeah." Emma replied proudly. "Check this out..." She said as she dug into her pocket and took out a first-generation iPhone. Regina waited patiently as Emma unlocked her phone and opened the gallery. She handed it over and encouraged Regina to look through the pictures she had of herself at work. When the brunette reached the other woman's official employee photograph her eyes widened at the sight, Emma looked powerful and confident and really super hot and that in turn did all kinds to things to Regina. The sight of the older woman looking flustered made Emma chuckle to herself.

"You like a girl in uniform?" She asked cockily a moment later after toying with the idea of saying something about the other woman's affected state.

"I like you in a uniform." Regina clarified with a playful bump to the blonde's shoulder.

"I bet my Sheriff's uniform is as hot as hell." The blonde stated with her new found and intoxicating confidence.

"I wouldn't know, you refuse to wear it." Regina replied mock sulkily.

"Oh." Emma replied nonchalantly. "Well... maybe I can do something about that in the future."

Regina was very much enjoying the flirtatious side to the young deputy, but never to be out done, she decided to fight fire with fire. She moved herself a little closer to the blonde and rested her hand high up on her thigh.

"Is that so?" She asked as she moved it higher still and lent in as if to kiss the other woman. Emma's bravado quickly dropped as she froze in anticipation of what was about to happen, but just as their lips brushed together, Regina pulled her mouth towards her ear and whispered.

"Then it's a shame that you aren't going to remember this conversation then." She said with a chuckle as she planted a loving kiss on the blonde's forehead. Emma groaned as she realised she had been played and joined in with the laughter.

"It is a shame that I have to forget." Emma said thoughtfully after a few moments had passed. "I can't imagine seeing you every day and not knowing that I love you, not remembering the history that we have."

"Everything will work out ok." Regina said reassuringly while pulling her back into her arms. Because it did work out ok, they both knew that.

"I know. Doesn't mean that those years when I first arrive in Storybrooke won't suck though." Emma said in a way that reminded Regina of that sulky teen she had met here all that time ago. How do you cheer up a grumpy teen? Food.

"Come on little one." Regina said, shifting out of the embrace and making a move towards the kitchen. "Let's make you a sandwich."

"I'm bigger than you!" Emma replied with a smile as she got up to follow.

* * *

As they were making lunch, Regina had asked Emma why she had waited so long to summon her again and Emma had answered honestly. She said that the next time she saw her she wanted to make her proud. Regina had immediately stopped what she was doing and pulled her into the biggest, tightest hug Emma had ever experienced as she told the younger woman how so very proud she was of her. Emma couldn't remember a time that she had felt so happy and loved.

After lunch, they decided to head out and take a walk on the lake shore. The summer season hadn't started yet, meaning that they were alone on camp and therefore it was beautifully calm and peaceful.

They walked and talked for hours.

The subject matter had started off quite light, each asking the usual questions about their likes and dislikes. Emma had been thrilled to find out that Regina was a fan of cheesy 80's pop songs and Regina hadn't been at all surprised to learn that Emma loved brat pack movies. She'd even treated the brunette to a rather impassioned rendition of 'St Elmo's Fire', much to the amusement of them both.

When the lighter topics had started to run dry, Emma had asked about Regina's childhood. She was curious what it had been like to grow up in a world without electricity and indoor plumbing. After the brunette had shared some of her funnier stories about the pitfalls of growing up in such a place she had started to talk about her father. She didn't usually talk about him as she usually found the subject far to upsetting. But that day, in the beautiful sunshine and in the presence of Emma Swan she found that it didn't hurt so much.

Once she had started to talk she found it hard to stop, the blonde was so attentive and supportive and she found that she wanted to tell her everything. She told her about her mother and how she had manipulated the king into asking for her hand, she talked about Daniel and the circumstances of his death. She even went on to talk about some of the dreadful things the king had done to her in the darkness of her royal bed chamber, continuing on to admit that still to this day, she found some aspect of physical intimacy difficult. Emma had just listened and held her hand throughout.

After Regina had finished talking Emma had felt so affected by her story that she felt brave enough to tell her some of her own truths. Things that she had never told anyone else. Like what had really happened when her drunken foster father had forced his way into her room when she was 14. That particular story had brought tears to the brunettes' eyes. After that she had gone on to reveal that the last person she had had sex with was Neal. When Regina had asked her why that was, she had shyly replied that the only person she was really interested in being intimate with was her.

Regina smiled as she regarded the beautiful woman stood before her, a woman who looked back with such love and devotion. What a rare and perfectly imperfect thing she was. It astounded the brunette that she had deemed her worthy enough of her affections at all, let alone that she would be willing to wait the many years she had always know it would take for them to get to a place where expressing their love physically would be possible. Right in the moment, she wasn't sure if she had ever felt as valued and worthwhile.

After their walk, they made their way back to the cabin and settled in each other's arms on the large couch in the vast open plan ground floor. Emma was laying against the older woman with her head on her shoulder, looking out of the floor to ceiling window and out across the lake.

Since their revealing discussion about their pasts, the blonde had become very quiet and Regina could tell that there was something on her mind. She didn't want to push the younger woman but at the same time, she needed to check in and make sure that she was ok. She turned her head and dropped a loving kiss on the young Deputy's forehead.

"Are you ok sweetheart?" Regina asked gently. Upon hearing the question, Emma sat back up and turned to face her.

"Not really. I want to apologise about the way that I behaved the last time that I saw you." She replied in a quiet and shameful voice. Regina's brow immediately furrowed as she tried to work out what the younger woman was apologising for.

"I did something that I shouldn't have." Emma continued. "I kissed you without asking your permission and I feel bad about that."

"It's ok Emma." Regina soothed, finally understanding what was upsetting the blonde.

"No, it isn't. Even before our conversation earlier, I knew that you had been... forced when you were younger. I've read your story remember, I knew what he had done to you." She paused as the weight if that comment weighed down on them both. "Kissing you without asking was selfish and I am ashamed of myself. I don't want to be another person in your life that doesn't ask, I never want to make you do anything you don't want to do."

"Emma, you are not that person. Please don't beat yourself up for a kiss that happened years ago. A kiss that I reciprocated remember?"

"I'm still sorry that I did it."

"Please don't be sorry." Regina paused and took in the sad look on the younger women's face. "Listen when I tell you this Emma, because I don't want you to misunderstand me. I'm not that teenage girl anymore. I'm not going to let anyone touch me if I don't want them too. I wanted you to kiss me. I wanted to kiss you back." When Emma didn't say anything, Regina continued.

"Yes, my first experiences of sex and intimacy were terrifying and that gave me a very warped view of how it should be. I was taught that sex was about power and control and I'm ashamed to say that once the king was dead, I continued to use it as such to manipulate the people around me. It wasn't until very recently that I realised how special it can be. You taught me. So, don't ever think that I don't want you to kiss me."

"Really?" The blonde asked unbelievingly.

"Yes!" Regina immediately confirmed.

"Can I kiss you now?" Emma enquired shyly.

Regina didn't need to think of the answer. This woman wasn't her Emma yet but she was still Emma Swan and the brunette didn't think that she could help but love every version there was. Before her was a version that had waited all of these years just to see her again, a version that had saved herself for her.

"Yes."

There was no rushing, they both knew that they were under no pressure to do anything more than just enjoy each other's closeness. They kissed for a long time as soft hands delicately explored still clothed bodies that were new to them both. As familiar as Regina had become with the older blonde's body, here it was slightly different. Well-nourished, and cared for. Strong and muscular. It was entirely intoxicating.

Emma Swan was in heaven lying there on that couch. She had often imagined touching the older woman this way, but of course she never actually had. She was soft and warm and oh so responsive. They felt connected to each other in a way that neither had ever imagined was possible, their bond felt like it ran right through to their very souls. Every touch, every caress was felt deeply by them both, it wasn't just a physical connection they were sharing, it was spiritual. It was like finally coming home after the longest time and feeling the safety and comfort of that.

It was love, pure and simple and it was amazing.

Regina was the first to take things further as she started to raise Emma's tee-shirt, just a little, just so that she could feel the heated skin of her tummy, she wasn't at all disappointed when the younger woman moaned out her approval at the direct contact. The brunette looked down to enjoy the view of their flesh to flesh contact and when she did her attention was drawn to silvery stretch marks that laid beneath her fingertips.

Regina had seen them before of course, but in the future, a future where Emma was so slim and almost ten years older, they were much less noticeable. Emma sensed a shift in the mood as Regina started to trace those lines with reverence.

"Don't look at them, they are ugly." Emma whispered, her vulnerability on painful display. Their gaze locked as the older woman looked up in confusion. How could she possibly think they were ugly?

"They are not ugly. They are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." Regina replied with such conviction that Emma was left in no doubt that in the brunette's eyes, the visual evidence left from bringing their child into the world made her the sexiest woman in all of the realms.

"You really do love me don't you." Emma asked in near disbelief.

"I really do." Regina confirmed sincerely. "Come upstairs with me and I will show you just how much."

Emma gulped as she nodded a shy response. She then gently took a hold of the other women's hand and led the way towards the stairs and towards her room.

Once they were standing in that room, a room that had once been Regina's, they stood and faced each other and looked, really looked at each other. Emma looked entirely overwhelmed as she held the other women's gaze.

"I don't know what I'm doing." She eventually whispered.

"We can figure it out together." Regina replied as she took hold of the younger women's hands and guided them to the hem of her tee-shirt. Emma paused for a second as she took a deep and finally found the confidence she needed to start and lift it up. Regina helped by lifting her arms above her head and dropping them when the tee was up over her head and off.

"Can I take yours off now?" She asked as she took a hold of the bottom of the blonde's shirt.

"Yes." Emma replied and seconds later, hers was off too and cast away onto the floor.

Again, they looked at each other, allowing their eyes to roam over their now largely exposed curves. Regina noticed straight away that Emma's boobs were slightly fuller here and she decided instantly that she was a fan. Emma was lost in thought as she contemplated the gifts that were Regina's breasts, perfectly gift wrapped in a very flattering aubergine coloured bra.

"Wow." They both exclaimed at the same time before realising what had happened and laughing. Emma quickly stopped laughing when Regina reached around her own back and removed her bra, again casting it off into the room somewhere. The blonde hesitated for only a second before she repeated the action on herself. And there they stood, almost entirely exposed to each other. Emma fleetingly thought that she should feel shy or vulnerable, but she didn't, not at all. In fact, she felt emboldened and empowered.

Regina couldn't help but notice the newly found confidence in her young lover's eyes, so she seized on it by asking her to do the one thing she had wanted for the last few minutes.

"Touch me." She half begged and half commanded. There was no way that Emma wasn't going to comply to that request. She reached out her hands and placed them on the older women's hips before running them up over her flat stomach and finally, finally cupping her already hardening breasts.

Emma was gentle to start with, not knowing how sensitive to touch they were. She knew that her own sensitivity changed depending on the time of the month. She lifted them, taking their full weight in her hands before starting to gently knead them. Regina hummed in appreciation of the attention.

Emma continued and squeezed them together, using her thumbs to stroke her now very hard nipples which elicited a deeper moan from the brunette. It had been a relatively recent discovery that she liked having her boobs played with. Before the older version of the saviour had showed her how good it could be, they had been largely ignored by her other lovers. Emma loved playing with them though and she loved it too, the only thing she enjoyed more was when she sucked on them so she was in heaven when the younger version couldn't hold back anymore and asked permission to use her mouth.

"Oh my gods Emma, please do!" Had been her immediate response. Every suck and every nip had her whipped up into a high and when the blonde started to lick them, the strokes went straight to her core.

After a few minutes, Emma stopped to take a proper breath for a moment. As she took the time to regain her equilibrium she tenderly kissed over the other women's heart. An action that reminded Regina of a time that the older Emma had done something similar. The older woman smiled at the fact that in any time, the Saviour is always tender and sweet.

Wanting to express that thought and her gratitude for it, Regina placed her hand on the blonde's chin and lifted it up to meet her eyeline before smiling and kissing her lovingly on the lips. It was Emma's turn to space out a little now as she enjoyed the tender moment. Before she knew it though the lips were gone from her own as they latched onto one of her own nipples. This version of the Saviour had never had her boobs sucked, so when the brunette went to town, the younger woman found herself weak in the knees.

"Bed." She had managed to force out through her near delirium and with that the older woman ceased her actions and motioned the blonde towards the bed.

"Pants off." Regina said as she started to remove her own, Emma repeating the action on herself immediately.

And then they were entirely naked on the bed and Emma seemingly had a fire lit within her soul. Without any further thought she pushed the brunette onto her back and straddled her, bending her head down to resume the nipple play she had started earlier.

Regina's eyes briefly widened in a single moment of panic, she didn't like being on her back. Being pinned down usually reminded her of her former husband and his heavy handed and unwanted sexual advances. But this was different, this was Emma. Not the demanding old man but his beautiful young granddaughter. A woman that she knew would never dream of hurting her. She knew that fact with all of her heart. This version just didn't know her aversion to this position, she wasn't trying to overpower her, she was trying to love her and was actually doing a bloody good job. Regina realised that she felt wonderful laying there and not scared at all. So, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy it.

After a few more minutes of that bliss she decided to offer Emma a little guidance and encouraged her to move her knees up her body a little. They had done this before with her on top and she knew that it felt amazing.

"Push yourself right back down onto me. When our clits are hard they rub together wonderfully."

Emma complied immediately, trusting the older woman completely. As soon as she had pushed herself back down and arched her back a little she instantly felt her hard clit connect with the brunettes equally engorged bundle of nerves.

"Oh shit!" The younger woman exclaimed as Regina couldn't help but smile. "Now what?"

"Now you move honey, move your hips."

Emma started to move her hips as suggested, slowly at first until she realised just how good it felt. As her confidence grew she got faster and faster as she held her upper body up on her elbows and looked intently into the honey coloured eyes of her lover. Regina held her gaze as she too moved her hips in perfect time with the stunning creature above her, all the while playing with her nipples.

Soon, both of their breathing had become laboured as they both climbed higher and higher towards their release.

"I think I'm close." Emma said between breaths.

"Me too baby." Regina replied softly. "Finish us off, beautiful." She encouraged as Emma on instinct began to thrust harder still. Seconds later they both came together as they cried out and desperately clung to each other.

They stayed there like that for a while, Emma having stopped holding herself up as she lay completely on top of the other woman with her head on her chest, listening to her heart. They eventually had to move so Emma rolled off to the side and turned her body to face the other woman.

"Was that worth the wait?" Regina asked thoughtfully as she regarded the younger woman in all of her naked glory.

"Yes, it was." Emma replied immediately. "Waiting for you was a no brainer Regina. I think I would wait forever for you. You are amazing."

"You are unbelievable." Regina replied lovingly.

"I do have a confession to make." Emma fired back with her now almost ever-present cheeky grin.

"Oh yeah?" The brunette enquired with a grin of her own, she knew it was nothing serious by the twinkle in the blonde's eye.

"I masturbated a lot."

Regina couldn't help but laugh out loud at her comment. That particular topic seemed to come up between them a lot. In retaliation for her comment, Regina lightly swatted at the younger women's bare butt.

"Oh kinky, are you ready for round two?" The blonde joked knowing that they both just needed a little still time together to enjoy what had just happened. "I could put my uniform on?" She asked with a cheeky twinkle in her eye as she jumped out of the bed and jokingly made her way towards the wardrobe.

"Tempting." Regina answered with a chuckle. "Maybe later, for now I just want a cuddle."

"Who'd have guessed that the former Evil Queen was so into snuggle time." The blonde replied as she wrapped her arms around the smaller woman.

"Ha ha ha." The brunette said good naturedly as she snuggled her face into Emma's neck.

Just as she had gotten comfortable she felt a sharp pain in her gut as she heard a different Emma scream her name somewhere off in the future.

"Ugh." She exclaimed as she removed her arms from around the blonde's waist and placed her hands protectively over her own stomach.

"What's happening?" Emma asked with concern in her voice.

"I'm shifting again but something is wrong." Regina quickly replied. Before Emma had to the chance to ask any more questions, the other woman was gone.

 **AN: So, I was feeling a bit guilty about leaving it so long to update. Naughty me for enjoying my summer. Anyway, to make it up to you I wrote this super long chapter. It's like twice the length of what I usually post.**

 **I hope it makes sense, I have to admit that I totally forgot where I was heading with this or at least I forgot the intricacies. I had to bust out my colour pens and make I giant chart to figure it out lol.**

 **Let me know what you think :)**


	35. Chapter 35

**This chapter includes details of a violent physical attack and briefly mentions sexual attacks upon characters not included in this story.**

Chapter 35

Regina blinked rapidly and waited for the world to settle around her, when it did she quickly realised that she had once again materialised in a hospital. However, this one was much busier than the previous one.

She tried to take a step forward but was soon reminded of the pain in her stomach, she was no stranger to anxiety related discomfort, but this was different, it was like nothing she had experienced before. It was sharp and hot and left her short of breath.

She didn't have the time to worry about herself though, Emma was here somewhere and judging by the panic in her voice when she had called for her, something was very wrong.

She pushed her own pain into the back of her mind and looked around for anyone that may be able to help her find the blonde. She quickly spotted a nurse busying herself behind a nurse's station, and with no time to waste, bolted towards her.

"Emma Swan." She asked desperately. "Is Emma Swan here?"

When the nurse didn't immediately reply, she feared for a brief moment that she was once again invisible. Thankfully she wasn't.

"Main reception is that way, honey." The woman eventually said in a kind voice while pointing down the hallway. "It's easy to get turned around in this place. Down the hall and take a left."

"Thank you!" Regina near shouted as she once again took off in search of the Deputy.

Down the hall. Down the hall. She kept repeating to herself as she followed the instructions she had been given.

Take a left. Take a left where? Shit, that was a right. She had always been crap at differentiating between the two, especially when stressed. Go back, try again. There, there!

She almost cried with relief when she saw her goal, a large information desk with 'Main Reception' written above it. As she took the last few hurried steps towards her destination, the pain that she had been doing her best to ignore began to ease a little.

Taking a quick look around, Regina noted that this new area was busier still. Anxious and sad looking people sat in uncomfortable seats, clearly waiting upon news of loved ones. In the back corner, there were several people congregated together in silence, seemingly all wearing black uniforms of some sort. Regina thought no more about them as she made a bee-line for the desk.

"Excuse me, is Emma Swan here?" She asked nervously. The woman behind the desk sighed and rolled her eyes before looking up at the brunette.

"Are you a relation?" She asked rather shortly.

"No, I'm her..." Regina didn't get the chance to finish that sentence before she was cut off.

"Well, then I will tell you what I have told them." She replied, gesturing towards the sombre group in uniform. "If you are not a relation then I can't give you any information. Hospital policy." She said, adding a sickly fake smile at the end.

Regina didn't say anything as she stared back at the receptionist in disbelief. The woman she loved was here and hurt, and she couldn't get to her because of a rude woman that wouldn't listen to her and because of fucking petty bureaucracy.

"I'm sorry, you didn't let me finish..." Regina replied calmly, she knew that losing her temper wouldn't help at all. "She's my..." she paused as she tried to find the right word to portray just what the blonde was to her. Girlfriend didn't seem to quite cover it. Lover? Partner? None of these words were even vaguely adequate to describe how much Emma Swan meant to her. "She's my... everything." She finally said, finding a truth she had yet to vocalize. To her Emma, and Henry, where her whole world.

Up until that point, the receptionist had only been regarding her with disinterest and annoyance. Now, after hearing the brunette's admission, that disinterest turned to something else entirely; disgust.

"No relation, no information." The woman replied, spitting out each word with pure venom.

Regina took a deep breath as she tried desperately to rein in her rapidly igniting temper. The pain in her stomach had returned and she found that she needed to take a tight hold of the counter in front of her, just to stop her taking a swing at the woman that was aggravating her last nerve. Just as she was about to open her mouth and try again she was stopped by a voice from behind her.

"Excuse me, ma'am, are you Regina?"

"Yes, I am." She replied with a slight scowl, puzzled as to how this person knows her name.

As she spun around she saw a young woman wearing the same uniform she had seen Emma wearing in the photos she had seen on her last visit. She then quickly snapped her eyes over to the rest of the gathered group the rude receptionist had gestured to and saw that they too were wearing them. She realised then that they must be Emma's work colleagues.

"Who are you?" The brunette enquired of the young woman.

"My name is Katie... Deputy Kate Mackenzie. I was Emma's ride along partner tonight." The young woman replied matter-of-factly while extending out her hand for Regina to shake.

"Where is Emma? Is she ok?" Regina asked quickly as she absentmindedly took her hand.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to inform you that there was an incident this evening. Emma got hurt, she is currently in the OR."

Upon hearing that, Regina's mind fell into a tailspin of thoughts and emotions. Emma was in the OR, that sounded serious. What if she wasn't ok, what if she didn't make it? 'You aren't going to lose her,' the rational part of her brain suddenly supplied. 'You are from the future, you know she survives.' But does she? With the way the timeline was changing all the time she just couldn't convince herself to believe it.

"The OR? How bad is it?" Regina asked in a small and scared voice. Right there in that moment, all that she was and had once been fell away and all that was left was a woman who was terrified that she may soon have to say goodbye to the love that she had just found. She, of course, was no stranger to loss, however, she knew that she couldn't face it again. She couldn't lose Emma, she just couldn't.

"The surgeons are doing everything they can, the update an hour ago was that she was doing well," Katie answered reassuringly. "Come and take a seat." And with that, she guided a somewhat shell-shocked Regina over towards a bank of empty seats.

They both sat in silence for a while as Regina attempted to process the situation. She felt a little better hearing that Emma was doing well, still, in her mind, less than fifteen minutes had passed since she had been snuggling in Emma's arms after a very emotional and meaningful lovemaking session. Now she was in a hospital, surrounded by strangers, desperately waiting to hear if the young Deputy was going to be ok. The whole situation was incredibly overwhelming, fuck she was so tired.

"What happened?" Regina finally asked. Katie took a deep breath before starting her explanation.

"One of the girls that attends Emma's youth club was brought into the hospital earlier today. She had been the victim of a vicious and sustained sexual assault. She was beaten up pretty bad too. She wouldn't talk to anyone until Emma arrived. When she did, she told her who had done it. He was known to us, he has form for latching onto young girls in the system. He treats then well at first until he gets bored and rapes them to within an inch of their life. The girls will never testify against him, they're always too scared but this girl said she would. We went to pick him up. Back up was ready, everyone was in place." She paused for a moment to gather herself, as professional as she was trying to remain, she was clearly affected by what had happened.

"Emma insisted on being the first person in... It was an old warehouse and there was crap everywhere, it all happened so quickly... He knew we were coming, he had set up a trap."

"Go on," Regina softly prompted, eager to hear what had happened next.

"The property was much more secure than we thought. Emma and I only got in through the front door because he wanted us to, it locked behind us. The rest of the team were outside and couldn't get to us." The young Deputy was forced to stop again as her emotions got the better of her. On instinct, Regina placed her hand supportively on the young woman's shoulder.

"It's ok Katie," she said as she progressed to rubbing soothing circles on the emotional women's back. "Please continue." The Deputy nodded and took a deep breath, steeling herself for the rest of her tale.

"He pulled a gun on us and made us both hand over our firearms. I... I... just did as he asked. Emma did too... we had no choice. He got mad, real mad. Shouting at us for getting all up in his business. He said he was going to teach us both a lesson."

Regina had an awful feeling that she knew exactly where this was going. The now dull pain in her stomach was joined by the more familiar feeling of anxious nausea. Still, she couldn't afford to jump to conclusions, she still didn't know the full story.

"Then what happened?"

"He erm... he ordered me to drop my pants and lay down," Kate replied quietly. "He said he knew it was Emma that was really out to get him, he said he wanted her to see first-hand how he treats his girls."

It was then that Katie began to cry. Regina pulled her into her arms and rocked with her, all the while speaking soothing words of comfort. She desperately needed to know what had happened to Emma but she knew that she couldn't push the young woman currently sobbing against her chest.

"Shhh shhh shhh, it's ok. You're safe now." The brunette soothed. She knew by the fact that the young Deputy was sitting in the waiting room that this bastard hadn't been able the follow through with his intentions. But she also knew from personal experience that even the threat of such an awful act can have a huge effect on people.

"Emma saved me. She rushed him and took his weapon but, in the scuffle, it got kicked across the room. After that, they fought hard. I was so scared, I couldn't move. I eventually snapped out of it and went to get the gun but just before I could take control of the situation, he pulled a knife. He... he... stabbed her in the abdomen."

Upon hearing that, Regina's hand instinctively flew to her own stomach. Her mind reeled as she realised that the pain she had been feeling was actually Emma's, she had heard of pain transference before, but she had certainly never experienced it herself. It was light magic at its purest, born of the desire to take away another person's suffering.

She knew that she was capable of some light magic, that had been proven when she had taken on her sister all those years ago. But this was different, this should be way beyond her ability, and yet... it wasn't. For Emma, she apparently could and would take her pain. She would do anything for her, it was a simple truth that she knew to be 100% true.

"I subdued the perp and tended to Emma as the others beat down the door. She just kept repeating your name." Katie said looking down at her hands as if she could still see the blood she had been covered in earlier. Blood she had washed off in the restroom before changing her shirt. "This is all my fault," she went on to say sadly while looking intently at the older woman and bringing her attention back into the room. "She is in that OR because of me."

"No, she isn't, she is in there because that's who she is Katie. She would never stand by and watch as someone gets hurt. Not if she could stop it." Regina replied thoughtfully as she couldn't help but smile a little, her beautiful Swan, always the Saviour. She wouldn't be her wonderful self if she hadn't done what she had that evening, it was Emma through and through, always fighting for people who needed help.

"And that is what makes her a damn fine law enforcement officer." A new voice stated from above them. The young deputy immediately wiped her face and jumped up to attention under the newcomer's gaze.

"As you were, McKenzie." A large and very official looking man said. With that, Katie sat back down and Regina took hold of her hand again. Just as it looked like the man was going to move away, he did something very surprising, he knelt down in front of both women and placed his hand on the young Deputy's knee.

"You've had a hard night Katie." He said softly. "Can I take you home? Is Kelly there?"

"No, she's on shift. She's in the OR with Emma." The Deputy answered softly. Regina listened on with interest, trying to learn more about the people in Emma's life.

"I see, I guess you are staying here then?" He enquired and she nodded in response. Then he turned his attention to Regina. "Am I to assume that you are the famed Regina? Emma's significant other?"

"I am, yes." She replied instantly and proudly. It was somewhat disconcerting that so many people seemed to know who she was but as she quickly considered it, she realised that she didn't care. She was Emma's partner and she was damn proud of that fact. "It's nice to finally meet you. I am Sheriff McKenzie." He said kindly before extending out his hand for her to shake. The same surname and the Deputy, that can't be a coincidence Regina thought to herself.

"Emma talks about you a lot," he continued with a caring smile. "I'm sorry we had to meet under such difficult circumstances. I see you are taking good care of my daughter, thank you for that." He said sincerely as he nodded toward their joined hands and smiled. "Is there any news?"

"No, jobsworth Jean over there won't tell us anything." Katie replied to her father's question, to which he rolled his eyes.

"What a surprise," he said before standing up and heading off to talk to some other members of the group.

"That was my dad." Katie said once he was out of earshot.

"I gathered," Regina replied with a smile. "Who is Kelly?" She asked, having heard her name earlier.

"She is the on-call surgeon tonight. She is also my girlfriend, she lives with me and Emma." It was all becoming clear now, just how tight-knit these people were. Katie wasn't just Emma's ride along partner, she was clearly her friend and apparently her housemate. Regina looked around her again at the small group awaiting news. They looked just as concerned as Katie did, they weren't just Emma's colleagues, they cared about her like a family would. The brunette was thrilled to realise that Emma was loved here, and touched when she realised she had made her a part of her life, even though she couldn't actively participate in it. These people knew who she was because Emma had chosen to tell them about her.

Regina knew with her whole heart that Emma loved her, she didn't doubt that for a second, but having her tell the world validated that love in a way that she had never quite expected. Long gone was the scared teen, worried about how the world would react to her loving another woman. Now she was out and proud and obviously accepted for it. She was living her life as the person she wanted to be.

A few minutes later another member of the waiting group came over to Regina and Katie with a coffee for them both. Regina smiled as she took one from him, thanking him for his thoughtfulness.

"Hi," he said somewhat nervously. "I'm Steve."

"Hi Steve." The brunette replied with another smile. The mood in the waiting room had shifted a little, it seemed that the group were through with anxious waiting and had moved more towards nervousness, creating a boisterous energy within the group. Regina could feel a strange excitement coming from the men as they watched her interaction with Steve.

"I've been sent over to say hi, and to tell you that we were all beginning to think you were imaginary." With that, the whole group burst into joyful laughter. It was good to hear and Regina couldn't help but laugh along too. They could all do with a little levity right now.

"No, no... I'm very real," she said with a smile.

Just then, a door off to the right of the reception desk flew open and a young woman wearing scrubs look over to them. Silence descended immediately.

"Are you Regina?" The young woman asked.

"Yes." Regina quickly replied as she stood up to greet the woman.

"I'm Kelly Harper, I've just been working on Emma. She is through the worst. She went up to recovery 30 minutes ago and is breathing on her own. She was very lucky, the knife managed to miss all of her vital organs. It's largely just muscle and tissue damage. In addition to the stab wound, she took one hell of a beating. We have performed a head and abdominal CT and determined that although she has extensive bruising, there are no internal bleeds. She is going to be sore for a while but barring any unexpected surprises, she is going to be fine."

Regina sat back down heavily and held her head in her hands as she digested the news, Emma was going to be fine.

"Did you hear that, guys?" Kelly went on to shout over to the other members of the Sheriff's department. "She's gonna be fine."

With that, a huge cheer rang out, earning them all a frown from the grumpy cow sat behind reception. There were huge smiles, high fives and hugs all round as everyone celebrated the news. A few, including Steve, even patted Regina on the back and smiled kindly at her. It was clear that she was totally accepted as Emma's partner.

"Would you like to come through and see her?" the young doctor asked.

"Very much so." Regina said as she smiled and stood once again.

"Step this way then, Katie, you can come too." Kelly said as she held out her hand for her girlfriend to take.

As the three women made their way towards the door Kelly had appeared from, they were stopped in the tracks as the receptionist shouted after them.

"Dr Harper, do I need to remind you of our hospital's visitation policy." She said in a haughty manner.

"No, you don't..." Kelly snapped back before taking a deep breath. "Wind your neck in Jean. I'm taking my patients girlfriend to see her. If you have a problem with that then, by all means, report me. Again." she stated while fixing the other woman in a levelling glare, making it very clear what she thought about her obvious homophobia, poorly veiled by petty rule enforcement. After a few heavy seconds, she broke her stare and turned back to the other two women. "Follow me please."

Regina decided that she liked this woman. Her little outburst earned another round of cheers from Emma's now dispersing workmates and Regina decided that she really liked them too.

The three women made their way to recovery in silence. "She's in here," Kelly said softly as they finally came to a halt outside a door that looked exactly like every other door they had passed. "We will give you some time alone."

Regina nodded gratefully and took a deep breath before slowly pushing the door open and entering the room. The lights were dim and it was hard to see but there, towards the back of the room lay a bound and battered Saviour.

"Oh, Emma," she breathed as she made her way over to her bedside. Her left wrist is neatly bandaged down to her elbow and had been placed delicately over the bottom of her rib cage.

Her face would have looked peaceful if it weren't for the startling visible damage. There was a dressing over her left eyebrow, almost covering her eye and Regina could clearly see the congealed blood that had been drawn out from whatever injury lie beneath. The cheek below the eye was heavily swollen and blood red with a purple tinge on the edge of the contusion. She also had a split and swollen lip. The brunette inhaled sharply at the sight of her.

As bad as she looked though, the brunette knew that the real damage was beneath the sheet that was tightly tucked under her arms.

She reached out her right hand and gently cupped the unmarred cheek before lightly stroking her fingers up and down. Her left hand meanwhile cautiously took a hold of Emma's right hand, being very careful not to disrupt the IV port in the back of her hand.

"My beautiful girl." She whispered softly as she placed a tender kiss upon Emma's temple. "I'm here." She was sure it was wishful thinking as she thought she felt the blonde's hand twitch in recognition. Regina stayed like this for a while, stroking and gently kissing the younger woman's face as she whispered soothing words of comfort.

Eventually, there was a knock at the door.

"Mind if we come in?" Kelly asked quietly as she pushed the door open a little.

"Of course not." Regina answered. Seconds later both women entered the room hand in hand, sitting themselves down in some chairs.

The brunette didn't mind their presence at all, they were, after all, Emma's friends. But she did find herself a little uncomfortable in their gaze, so with one last soft kiss to her head she let go of the blonde's hand and moved back into a chair of her own.

"Oh no don't do that," Katie said quickly. "Don't move away I mean. Please don't feel like you can't touch her because of us. I know she wouldn't want that." When Regina didn't respond, she went on to say, "I know you don't get to see each other very often... Because of your job and all."

"My job?" Regina quickly questioned.

"Yeah, Emma told us that you work undercover. Wouldn't tell us who for though. That's why you so rarely get to see each other."

Regina scowled for a moment as she thought about what the young woman had said. Why would Emma tell her friends that she worked undercover? Then again, what was she supposed to tell them? That her girlfriend, that she only saw once every few years, was actually a time travelling witch from the future? She needed some way to explain the long absences and total lack of contact. Regina realised that it was quite a clever cover really, and would explain to her friends, if they ever met her, why she knew very little about Emma's current life.

"It's hard, not seeing her every day, not being able to be a part of her life." The brunette said, playing along with the story. She wasn't lying, it was hard, missing out on Emma's new life, not getting to see her laugh and be happy.

"I bet. I know Emma misses you very much," Kelly said sympathetically. "She is usually so happy, but there are moments, like, when Katie and I are cuddling on the sofa, that I look at her and know that she wishes you were there so you could do the same." Upon hearing that, Regina's face twisted in pain at the thought of what Emma was missing out on because of their love. The thought had crossed her mind once or twice that their situation wasn't at all fair on Emma. Yes, knowing the future gave her hope and gave her something to work towards. But it also held her in a sort of cruel limbo. A limbo that left her always longing for something she can't have yet.

Kelly saw her reaction and immediately began to talk again, "I'm sorry, I'm not telling you this to hurt you, Regina. I'm telling you because, I think, it shows how much she loves you. How much she wants to be with you. If she didn't then she wouldn't wait for you."

"She gives us a countdown every day," Katie said with a smile. "What was it this morning? Oh right, 2 years and 223 days until you can be together. Until you are discharged or whatever." She said dismissively, not wanting to pry into the details. It was actually a countdown to Emma's 28th birthday, to the day that they would actually meet in the same timeline. Regina found it strange that Emma would be counting down to the day that she would lose her memories of their time together, to the day they would begin a very difficult few years of getting to know each other all over again. But then that summed Emma up perfectly, counting down to the first day of the rest of her life, no matter what she lost for that new start.

"I love her so much." Regina said softly with a smile, as she looked at her Saviours bruised features.

"She knows that," Katie promised. "Don't be afraid to show her that though. Not around us, we love her too. Please, hold her hand, comfort her." Regina smiled at the younger women, at their understanding and support. "Your time together will come, Regina. She knows that too and she can't wait."

The older woman found that she suddenly felt quite indebted to these two. For being in Emma's life while she couldn't, for caring for her and for saving her life in her absence. Emma was lucky to have them both.

"Thank you, both, so much, for everything. You are wonderful friends." She said sincerely.

"You really don't need to thank us, Regina, she is a great friend too." Kelly replied honestly.

After that, they slipped into a comfortable silence as Regina moved her chair closer to the bed and took hold of Emma's hand once again.

And this is how, an hour or so later, after the other women had left, Regina fell asleep. With her head on the bed next to Emma's, holding her hand.

* * *

She was having a beautiful dream, one full of light and love and a future where her wife was carrying their child. They were on a beach with Henry and Jasper, enjoying the summer sun. Emma looked absolutely stunning, she was literally glowing with happiness as she lay on her side on a large beach rug. Regina had never felt happier as she lay with her head next to Emma's swollen tummy, feeling her fingers run through her hair and scratch at her scalp.

Fingers that didn't stop, fingers that continued to massage her gently back into the waking world.

"Hey Beautiful," said a raspy and weak voice.

"Hey," Regina replied as she slowly came back to the land of the living. When she remembered where she was and realised she had been woken by a conscious Emma, the tears she had been holding at bay finally began to fall down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, my love." Emma struggled to say through the pain and the effects of the drugs she was on. "Don't be sad, I'm gonna be ok, I promise."

"I'm not sad, I'm happy Emma. Happy to see you. I love you so much." Regina said as she gently kissed her cheek.

"I love you too," the blonde replied with a dreamy smile. "Sorry I woke you, it looked like you were having a nice dream."

"I was, I was dreaming about our future."

"Were we happy?" Emma asked as her eyes started to close again.

"Very much so." Regina replied happily.

"I like the sound of that." Emma breathed out as she slipped back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Regina stayed for days this visit. She sat by Emma's bedside day and night and saw her start to gradually heal. She had held her hand as her bandages were changed and insisted on taking over the nurse's duty when it was time for Emma to be bathed. The blonde had blushed profusely as her love gently washed her body clean, in total awe of the fact that she was willing to care for her in such an intimate way. The older woman's love was healing her more and more with every minute that passed.

The night Regina had vanished, Emma had been so scared. After she'd disappeared so abruptly, Emma had been so worried that she had tried to summon her straight back, she was willing to sacrifice one of her remaining two visits just to make sure the other woman was ok.

But it hadn't worked, she hadn't come and that left Emma scared as to the reason why.

She was so happy to see her again, and now, it all seemed to make sense. She hadn't returned to her because she was needed here, the universe hadn't let her use a visit because this one was much more important.

Katie and Kelly came by every day, bringing with them an energy that was infectious. Katie told stories of Emma goofing around at work and playing trick on her fellow workmates, tricks that were often paid back with hilarious results. Regina loved the ease these three had when they were together, an ease she quickly felt too. After a few days, she felt like she had known them for years. They all worked together to make sure that Emma was comfortable and knew just how much she was loved.

Then, all too soon, it was time for Regina to leave again. They had both felt it coming for a while and it eventually happened while they were having a quiet moment together, between visits and nurse rounds. The brunette heard her name being whispered somewhere off in the future and they knew it was time, they looked at each other and smiled as they both said, "I love you." at the same time.

Once again Emma watched as Regina vanished into thin air, this time knowing that she only had one visit left before their lives changed forever.

 **AN: Another long one for you there. Sorry about the delay, I've been off on my travels again. A surprise visit to see my dad was in order. I had a wonderful time, sitting with him and several pints, just looking out to sea. Back home now though and I've still got two weeks of my holiday left, so hopefully the next chapter won't take too long. Join us next time for a special guest visit from someone else from the future. Anyone wanna guess who?**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

In the few weeks leading up to her 28th birthday, Emma had been busy.

She had resigned from her job, telling everyone that she had been offered a position within the same agency as Regina. Sure, she had felt guilty about lying to her friends, but she couldn't honestly think of a way of explaining why she was about to disappear off the face of the earth for who knows how long.

She cared a great deal for the friends she had made over the last seven years, they had been her comfort, her family, for so long that the thought of leaving them behind made her sad. She knew however, that in order to move forward and find true happiness, happiness with her real family, her son and the woman she loved more than anything else, she had to say goodbye. Still... That hadn't stopped her coming up with a plan that would hopefully allow her to reconnect with them in the future.

Her friends were equally sad to see her go and had vowed that her send-off would be one to go down in the history books. So, after her last duty shift, they had thrown a leaving party that would certainly be remembered for a long time to come. It had all started innocently enough, drinking copious amounts of beer whilst chatting and playing an assortment of Emma's favourite drinking games. Later, when they were all suitably 'merry', she had kicked everyone's ass at a round of table bouldering and it was following that, that unfortunately, she had been convinced it would be a good idea to climb the stations flagpole with the purpose of tying the Sheriff's favourite coffee mug to the top.

That little stunt had almost cost her a public intoxication and a defacement of public property charge, but luckily, Sheriff Mackenzie had seen the funny side. Emma's head however, had not, she had still been feeling the effects of her hangover days later. It had been totally worth it though.

On the 23rd of September, she had given her landlady her one month's notice on the beautiful, city view apartment she now lived in. She had continued to live with Katie and Kelly for another year after the stabbing, but after she was back on her feet and firing on all cylinders again, she decided to move out to give them some space. As it happened, around that time, Kelly had been looking to invest part of a large inheritance she had recently received. She had bought the apartment and allowed Emma to live in it rent-free, as long as she turned her hand to improving its rental value. To date, she had redecorated entirely, fitted a new bathroom and knocked through the kitchen, creating a stunning open-plan kitchen/living room with a breathtaking view out over the city and the harbour and bay beyond. Emma's handy work had increased its rental price quite significantly, setting the now married couple up with a monthly income that would surely come in handy now that Katie was expecting their first child.

Way back when making a decision about where to settle before the time came to move on to Storybrooke, Emma hadn't just made an arbitrary choice, no, she had considered her options carefully. She knew she needed to be reasonably close to Maine so as not to make Henry's journey to find her too difficult. But she also felt quite passionately about wanting to live somewhere where she would be accepted for who she was, somewhere where she wouldn't have to hide a part of herself away. In the early summer before making the move, it had been big news that Massachusetts had become the first state to legalised same-sex marriage and although she had no immediate plans to marry - not yet anyway - she liked the states progressive nature and so had decided to give it a try. She was pleased that she had because here, she got to share her friend's joy as they were allowed to marry and start a family just like anyone else.

Inevitably, weddings and pregnancies had made Emma miss Regina even more. She spent hours thinking about what their future may hold, would they too get married? The blonde had no idea if her love would even consider marriage again... and children? There was nothing Emma wanted more than to bring another child into the world and raise it with the woman she loved, but she honestly had no idea if Regina would want that too. She really hoped so after seeing the way the other woman loved and fussed over her little brother all those years ago. She knew that Regina couldn't bear children so it would be down to her to carry, but she would, happily, if that's what Regina wanted.

She was getting carried away, she knew that. All of those things were still years away. She had one visit left and after that, she would forget their love and their future would be in the hands of fate.

With that worrying thought in mind, she turned her attention to the only thing she could, making that last visit perfect.

Her plan was to summon the brunette the day before her birthday, that way they would have a whole day together before Henry arrived and their lives changed forever. The night before, she'd set an early alarm and gone to bed in good time, settling into the familiar dream of having her love by her side. Little did she know that that night, the universe had decided to move her plans forward and make her dream a reality.

* * *

Regina had been sad when the time had come for her to move on from her last visit, she had wanted to stay until Emma was better and truth be told, longer still. Experiencing a small snapshot of the life Emma had created for herself had been wondrous, a life of happiness and acceptance. A life that she very much wished she could share with her, for a few weeks more anyway.

However, seeing her in near constant pain had been very hard for her. She had tried her best to take some of that pain away, to syphon some of it into herself but now that Emma's life was no longer in jeopardy, the magical link was no longer accessible.

So instead, she concentrated her efforts on caring for Emma's physical wounds and they soon found that the sweet and gentle touches of care-giving and the calm moments of peaceful silence they often found themselves sharing had seen them bond in yet another wonderful and unexpected way. The proud and stubborn young woman opened herself up to Regina in a way that she never would to anyone else. Laying both her physical and emotional wounds bare as she allowed the other woman's love to begin her healing process.

Sadly, when Emma's recovery was well underway and she had started regaining her strength, Regina knew it was time for her to move on and after shared declarations of love and gentle, tender kisses, she was gone.

When she came to her senses a few moments later, she opened her eyes and quickly realised that she laying in a bed, in an unfamiliar room where the early morning light was just starting to creep through the edges of the curtains. When she moved beneath the covers, she was surprised to realise that she was entirely naked. Surprised, but not overly concerned. During every visit so far, she had found herself suitably dressed for the time period and activity, so she had no doubt that she was naked for a reason. Moments later, when she turned her head to the side, she found that reason, laying just to her left was the beautiful, sleeping form of Emma Swan.

Regina smiled as she let go of the tension she had been holding onto, the tension of not knowing where her time jump was going to lead her and relaxed into the extremely comfortable and heavenly scented bed. All around her were the subtle aromas of coconut and vanilla, smells that always reminded her of the blonde.

As she looked back at the sleeping deputy, she couldn't help but blush a little as she noticed the rosy form of her left nipple peeping out from under the covers, confirming that she was likely naked too. Regina found herself truly captivated by how comfortable and peaceful the blonde looked, laying on her back with her left hand above her head and her face tilted ever so slightly towards her own. Thanks to her last time jump, she was used to seeing her in pain, but suddenly here she was, relaxed and seemingly pain-free.

She desperately wanted to reach out and touch her, but as her hand went to make a move, she forced herself to stop. She didn't want to startle the sleeping blonde but the more she watched her sleep, the more difficult she found it to stop herself. After a few agonising minutes, she couldn't resist any longer and without further thought, she allowed her hand to reach out towards the blondes tummy, searching for the site of her injury. She needed to feel it, to reassure herself that Emma had healed properly from the awful damage that was so fresh in her memory. Very gently, she skimmed her fingers over the area, exploring the smooth and slightly raised edges of the new scar, finding herself pleased that it seemed to have healed well.

Just as she let out a small breath of relief, she felt the soft, warm body of the young deputy shift ever so slightly beneath her fingers, as she too let out a contented sigh. Before Regina had the chance to react, she felt Emma take hold of her hand as she rolled towards her, seeking the warmth of her newly appeared bedmate.

"Hmmm..." Emma exhaled through her sleepy haze, pulling the older woman's arm around her. "You are always in my best dreams." She whispered as she nuzzled her face into the brunette's neck.

"This isn't a dream my love, I'm here," Regina replied as she kissed the sleepy blonde on the forehead.

Emma didn't respond to what she had said, not verbally at least. Instead, she brought her left hand up to the other woman's face and gently rubbed her thumb against her cheek. "I love you." She said dreamily, before clumsily finding Regina's lips with her own.

The kiss was sloppy, but it felt good none the less. The brunette closed her eyes and settled into enjoying the moment, kissing Emma always took her breath away. Just when she began to move her hand up to stroke the blonde's hair, she felt her lips stop moving. Regina suddenly stopped kissing too and pulled away just a little, wondering if she had done something wrong, but when she saw the relaxed and blissed-out look on the young deputy's face, she realised that she had simply fallen back to sleep.

Regina couldn't help but smile at the antics of her sleepy girlfriend as she gently guided her back over onto her back. It was early and she was kind of sleepy too, so she simply made herself comfortable by curling into Emma's side and placing her head on her chest, before she too closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When she opened them sometime later she was happy to find herself still snuggled up with her beautiful blonde saviour.

"Hello, sexy." She heard the blonde say in greeting. It was clear that she had been awake for some time, simply enjoying the feeling of having her lover in her arms.

"Oh look who's awake," Regina replied in jest.

"Yeah, sorry about earlier. I thought I was dreaming."

"That's ok my love, you were tired. It's fine." The brunette answered while she shifted ever so slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position.

"I was going to call for you today anyway, I guess I must have done it in my sleep." Emma said as she started to gently rub the older woman's back.

"I'm not complaining, it's so nice to wake up with you." Regina said as she rubbed her hand over the younger woman's belly. With that Emma closed her eyes and let out a happy little moan.

That little moan resonated through the former Queen's body like the ringing of a church bell, suddenly causing a wave of desire to rush through her upper body, before settling between her legs and kick-starting her recently dormant libido. She did her best to ignore it though and settled back into their much-needed embrace.

However, the longer she held her, the more she felt the blonde's heart rate increase, and as her breaths began to quicken, Regina noticed that sweet and clean scent of the blonde's cosmetics had been joined by another smell, familiar but barely there. It only took Regina a few moments to place what it was; Emma's arousal. She was aroused too. That sudden and glorious realisation caused the brunette's own arousal to skyrocket as once again, as her hand seemed to develop a life of their own and made its way up from the other woman's stomach to find an already hard nipple. Emma sighed out her pleasure in a breathy moan before taking a deep breath and forcing words out of her mouth.

"Baby, you don't have to. You just woke up." She said as she continued to rub the other woman's back gently.

"I want to," Regina said honestly whilst looking her love straight in the eye. Emma smiled and nodded, prompting the brunette to shift her attention to the other, neglected and rock-hard nipple only centimetres away from her eager lips. She latched on and gently began to suck as her fingers worked their magic on the other, the blondes head slipped back down onto the pillow as she relaxed and settled into enjoying the attentions of her eager lover.

After a few seconds of this, Emma was practically panting with excitement as she squeezed her thighs together and desperately willed herself to hold it together, with the way she was going, she was worried she would embarrass herself by coming in two minutes flat. Regina felt her rapidly increasing excitement and briefly thought about slowing down to prolong the encounter but she soon dismissed that when she realised how long it had been for Emma since they had last been intimate. So what if she came almost instantly? She had waited long enough for this.

With that thought in mind, Regina slid her hand back down Emma's stomach and reached straight for her velvety soft, cleanly shaved lower lips. Emma's hips bucked towards her hand as the older woman's fingers gently opened her up in search of the small bundle of nerves that, when tended to, would make her see the stars.

She found it instantly, it was hard and hot to the touch and the slightest brush of her fingers had Emma inhaling sharply. Regina momentarily pulled away and dipped her hand down even lower, in search of some of Emma's natural lubricant, what she found did not leave her disappointed, Emma was drenched.

With a little smirk of victory, she gathered some of her wetness on her fingers and began to delicately spread it over the blonde's needy clit. As she did, she noticed the deputy recoil, as if she were in pain and Regina knew that in a way, she was. This had happened once before, in her own time, with future Emma. She had become so overstimulated that any direct contact with her clit had her near screaming in equal measures of pain and pleasure. Luckily, Regina knew just what to do resolve the situation. Instead of touching the hardened bud directly, she instead began to gently rub the base, taking great care to avoid the tip.

That did the trick as Emma was able to relax again, just a little, just enough to take her back to her state of near bliss. It didn't take long from there, mere seconds later her whole body stiffened as she gasped out as her orgasm hit her like a speeding truck.

Once she had calmed a little and her body had started to relax she suddenly became quite self-conscious at the speed at which she had found her realise. "Well, that was embarrassing," she said with a nervous laugh as she curled into the brunette and buried her face in her hair.

"Don't be embarrassed," Regina said as she held her tight in her arms. "I really enjoyed that too."

"You did?" Emma asked in disbelief, not understanding how a three-minute fumble could possibly excite the other woman.

"I did," Regina replied, boldly taking a hold of the deputy's hand and guiding it down to where she could feel the evidence for herself. Emma didn't need much encouragement beyond that as she delicately felt her way through the other woman's dripping folds before allowing her fingers to tease the short hairs above.

"Oh, sorry." Regina said automatically. As she had told Emma before, due to the location of her upbringing and lack of decent razors, she wasn't bothered by a bit of excess body hair. But she had noticed that Emma was nearly always clean shaven down there, leading her to assume that she wasn't a fan of the natural look. "Dealing with that wasn't partially high on my list of priorities on my last visit." She admitted.

Emma totally surprised her when she said "I like it," and gave her hairs another loving stroke.

"Oh!" Regina exclaimed with a smile as she looked into the lust blown eyes of her lover.

"I need to taste you." Emma stated before quickly wriggling down the bed and diving right it.

* * *

Several hours, a lot of lovemaking and one steamy shower later and the couple were in the kitchen, eating pancakes and drinking freshly brewed coffee.

After their shower, Emma had told Regina to pick whatever she liked from her wardrobe, on account of her having no clothes of her own. With the choice being mostly limited to jeans of varying shades of blue and every colour check shirt ever made, she went with the darkest blue jeans she could find and a black and white checked shirt that also had a hint of burgundy in the weave. She had also managed to find a pair of matching Vans in the back of the closet, a pair that were ever so slightly too small for Emma, that for some reason, the blonde could never bring herself to get rid of.

Emboldened by Emma's earlier acceptance of her body in its natural state, she chose to forgo the strengtheners for the first time in years and left her hair in its natural curls, something that Emma hadn't seen before but instantly loved.

"I didn't know your hair was curly," Emma said as she reached out to touch it.

"Not many people do," Regina replied with a half smile. "My mother wasn't a fan. She said it made me look too... ethnic. I've straightened it all of my life because of that comment." She had no idea where that had come from, she hadn't meant to say that at all, and yet she had. She wasn't worried though, she knew she was safe here, she knew she could say anything to Emma.

For her part, Emma simply said "Well, I think it's beautiful," before pulling her into her arms. "I think everything about you is beautiful."

Regina smiled and dropped an appreciative kiss on the blonde's shoulder. With those simple words, she felt a little lighter, as she realised that Cora's hurtful words didn't matter anymore. Emma liked it and that was all that mattered to her. With no more thought about it, she changed the subject.

"Where are we in time?" She questioned.

"The 22nd of October, 2011." Emma answered without hesitation.

"So, today is the day before you come to Storybrooke." Regina said thoughtfully, realising that tomorrow was the day that Emma forgot all that had happened before and they met as strangers for the first time.

"Yes, it's also the day before my birthday." Emma added to distract the other woman from the thoughts she knew she was having.

"So it is," Regina replied, all too willing to accept the hint that now wasn't the time to talk about what was to come. "What would you like to do then, birthday girl?"

"Honestly? I just want to spend as much time with you as possible." Emma answered with a shy smile. "Maybe head out to the market and by some food and then cook together and drink some wine?"

"That sounds perfect," Regina replied, and it did.

That is exactly how they spent their afternoon. After returning from the food market, they worked together to make Emma's chosen meal - homemade burgers with her favourite topping and a side salad. Regina wasn't convinced by the menu at first, but in the end, she had to admit that she had thoroughly enjoyed it. Once the food was eaten, Emma insisted that Regina go and relax as she finished the tidying up. And so it was, with great reluctance - and a large glass of wine - she had agreed to leave Emma to it. Without much thought, she found herself standing and looking out of the large window, down onto the city below.

Views like that still fascinated her, the lights and never-ending rush of the city. Before she cast Rumple's curse she never could have imagined such impossible places. But she had come to learn that here, in the land without magic, all sorts of impossible things could become a reality. Like, for example, being loved by the astonishingly beautiful daughter of her former worst enemy.

As she smiled thinking about that, she felt arms circle her waist from behind as a head dropped onto her shoulder and turned to kiss her neck.

"It's so good to see you again Regina," Emma said as she kissed her again. "Having you here, in my arms after all this time, it's still my dream come true."

"I don't deserve you, Emma. I don't deserve your love, but I have it and that makes me the luckiest woman alive." Regina said thoughtfully.

"You deserve every bit of it." Emma replied, before pulling her down onto the sofa for post food cuddles.

An hour or so (and several glasses of wine) later they were still laying there, enjoying their combined closeness. During that time Emma had brought Regina up to speed with the new developments in Katie and Kelly's life. The brunette was thrilled at their news but quickly noticed that the conversation had knocked Emma ever so slightly of kilter.

"What's bothering you, my love?" Regina asked as she gently rubbed the younger woman's tummy, something she had learned soothed her nerves. Emma thought hard before she answered, they were having such a lovely time that she didn't want to ruin it with her thoughts and worries about the future. She was being silly, she knew she was. She knew she could talk to Regina about anything, so she took a deep breath and pushed back against her worries and asked.

"Do you think we will have more kids?... I mean, is that something you would want?" She blurted out. Regina smiled when she realised that that was the question that had been making Emma so anxious. She was clearly happy for her friends and wanted the same for herself but was scared to ask if she wanted that too. The brunette was so glad that she had though because the answer was a resounding yes.

"Yes, very much so." She answered happily.

"Oh good," Emma replied with an air of relief. "Because I really want that. I know that you can't have children so I would have to carry and I'm totally cool with that." Emma said, placing her hand on top of the one stroking her stomach.

"Thank you." Regina said quietly, totally in awe of the blonde willingness to do that for them.

"We'll find a donor, we can make it happen." The blonde replied, squeezing her hand tightly. Regina appreciated her words, she really did. The blonde was being so sensitive and trying so hard not to hurt her feelings. Regina thought it only fair to tell her that she didn't need to worry about any of that.

"We won't need one." The brunette said simply.

"What do you mean?" Emma questioned.

"You were only partly right when you said I can't have children. I can't carry them. But I can sire them. We won't need a donor because I can get you pregnant." Regina answered matter-of-factly. Emma took a moment to digest that information. She had not been expecting that answer, not in a million years! Still, the more she thought about it, the more she realised she was thrilled about it. It meant that their children could be just that, theirs.

"Do I even want to ask how?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow, her head swimming with thoughts of how that might be achievable.

"There are a few ways actually, but we don't need to discuss it now." Regina answered, not wanting to freak the Deputy out with some of the more surprising ways it could be done.

"Ok, but we are definitely picking this up again sometime," Emma said with a cheeky smile on her face. She was willing to drop it for now but it was definitely a conversation they would have to have another day. When Regina caught her eye, they both burst out laughing at the ludicrousness of their situation as they settled back into each other's arms.

When they were once again comfortable, Emma reached out and grabbed the tv remote, flicking on a crappy film that had only just started. It didn't matter what it was, she knew it was just background noise as she had every intention of spending the rest of the night distracting the brunette with gentle kisses and tender caresses.

Ten minutes later, their teenage make-out session was rudely interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

"Are you expecting someone?" Regina asked as she tried to catch her breath.

"No." Emma replied as she nibbled on the other woman's earlobe. "Ignore it, they will go away."

 _Ring Ring_

"Whoever it is isn't going to give in, you are going to have to answer it, my love," Regina said as she wriggled herself free from her lover's arms. "Quickly deal with it and I'll get more wine." She said with a smile.

"Do I have to?" The blonde asked in a pretend whiny voice, just as the bell rang again.

"Yes, go. I'll see you in a minute." And with that, the brunette pecked the Deputy on the lips and sashayed off pour them both more wine. Emma couldn't help but take a moment to enjoy the view of Regina's retreating ass before heading towards the door.

 _Ring Ring_

"Ok! Ok! I'm coming!" Emma said as she finally made her way to the door to greet whomever it was who was clearly not going to give up any time soon. She started to twist open the lock as she said; "What is so important that you need to ring my bell a thousand..." And that is where she stopped as she pulled the door open and saw who was standing behind it.

A young boy with brown hair, wearing a red and grey scarf.

"Are you Emma Swan?" The boy asked with a smile and a hopeful look in his eyes. Emma was frozen in shock. Henry, her beautiful son that she missed so much, the little boy she had given up so he could have a better life was standing right before her. A day early. All she could do was stare in utter disbelief.

"My name's Henry. I'm your son." He stated simply and happily to the woman looking at him with her mouth hanging open in shock. After a few moments and no response from her, he decided to invite himself in. "I'm thirsty, do you have any juice?" He asked as he ducked around her and headed straight for the kitchen.

A moment later, Emma snapped back to her senses as she realised that he was heading straight towards his other mother. "Whoa whoa kid, wait up!" She shouted after him as she attempted to catch him up.

But it was too late. When she had practically run the five steps it took to reach the kitchen, she found mother and son staring at each other in disbelief.

"Mom?" A very confused little boy asked.

 **AN: Sorry for the delay, I haven't abandoned you all I promise. I've had a proper shitty month and because of that, have struggled to find my mojo. Anyway, I worked really hard to find it again and hope this chapter lives up to the rest.**

 **Have a wonderful week everyone.**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The concept of time, or at least the linear passage of it was a mortal construct, born out of their need to make some sense of their short existence. The gods simply had no need for it as they have always and shall forever just... exist.

In our mortal understanding, millennia had passed before the gods had even noticed that they were no longer alone in their existence. Those millennia having been spent wrapped up in their own affairs.

Cronus had been the first to notice that, where once there had only been the gods, now there were others too. Creatures that existed in the blink of an eye - or so it seemed. At first, there hadn't been very many and their actions were entirely inconsequential, but then more came, spanning the many realms that the gods could see.

Cronus watched on, utterly enthralled by the civilisations that rose and fell, and as new life was born and ebbed away oh so soon. Their lives were so fragile and delicate when compared to his existence, and yet, they were so vibrant. He watched and he learned and eventually, he began to realise that some of these creatures played a more important role in the species continuation than others. With this discovery, he was convinced that these creatures were not as insignificant as the other gods thought, and so, brought his conclusions to the others.

The others did not care at all about his ideas or in fact the creatures - at best their actions were mildly amusing, and at worse, mildly irritating - but as Cronus had seemed so enamoured with them the others tasked him with keeping an eye on their meaningless endeavours.

And so, Cronus became the God of mortal time - a role that he relished.

Eventually, as always is the case, circumstances slowly changed and the other gods started to get bored of their own self absorbed existence and as a result, started to turn their attention towards the mortals.

So, he had enlisted his three granddaughters, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos, who all shared his passion for the dainty and highly breakable creatures, to help him in the role of the mortal's guardians against the petty whims of the other Eternals.

Through time, Cronus had discovered that he had the ability to consider any mortal individual and see the many ways in which their journey through the linear passage could have been different. He could see every choice and every outcome. It was a thrilling existence for him, these "Humans" were truly fascinating. Most interesting, he thought was their belief in a concept known as "free will". They had a tendency to believe that they were ultimately in control of their own "destiny" and because they put so much stock in that, he made it so that they largely were. Their decisions were then their own, even if he could see a better path, he left well enough alone, allowing them their much treasured free will.

There were however a few caveats to that. For most people, their decisions made no difference to the grand scheme of things, but occasionally, there came along people whose choices and experiences did. People such as Emma Swan and Regina Mills.

Two creatures that fought so hard but seemingly had everything stacked against them. Two creatures who had been unwillingly thrust into hard but significant lives, and two creatures whose lives were destined to be linked for eternity.

Remember, he could see all and he could see a time coming where both of these mortals would play a pivotal role in the future of their species existence. A time where unity was needed in order to prevent malcontent and eventual civil war.

Yes, these two were important.

He probably watched over them a little more than he should have over the years, but he was interested in the elements of mortal existence that went into making someone great.

He watched on as each event in their lives pushed them on towards their full potential. It wasn't always easy, not by any means. There were many times that he truly felt for them both, watching their hearts break yet again, knowing that he, in fact, had the power to prevent that from happening.

With a tiny tweak, Regina could have run away with her first love. He watched that timeline and knew that she would have been very happy, living in a cottage in the woods, giving life to four children and working the land until her eventual end, after many happy decades.

With another very small adjustment, he could have prevented the dark curse and Emma could have had the life she was supposed to have, a life of love and privilege in the fairytale realm.

He could have changed things. But he didn't because he knew the significance of these events.

He just watched.

Until the time that he didn't.

He knew what needed to happen in order for them both to achieve the greatness that they were both heading for. They needed to be together, but to his immense frustration, something always got in the way. So when the belated birthday wish of a should be Princess was granted, he watched the timeline play out and saw, to his great glee, an opportunity to finally give them both something back for all of their sufferings. Strictly speaking, his involvement wasn't really necessary. They had done the hard part, they had fallen in love long before the Blue Fairy had come to him to ask if younger Emma's presence in Storybrooke would be damaging to the timeline.

Still, he wanted to give them the opportunity to strengthen their bond, and that was why he had broken his own, age-old rule, and had intervened and granted Emma the five chances to call Regina to her.

He made no secret for the fact that he had a huge soft spot for both Emma and Regina and that is why, on the fifth visit, he intervened one last time, to bring Henry to Emma's door a day early so that he could see for himself the two amazing mothers he had.

* * *

"Mom?" Asked a very confused little boy. "What are you doing here?" He asked his adoptive mother in a confused but accusatory manner. Regina had no idea what to say to the boy, so she continued to stare at him, almost as if she were looking at a ghost.

In a way, he was. In her mind, this version of her son was long gone, consigned to history and only to be remembered when she needed a reminder of why she fought so hard to become a better person. She found the look of hatred and distrust on his face right now utterly heartbreaking.

With the absence of an answer, Henry's mind filled the silence with his own theory. "You are trying to corrupt Emma, aren't you?"

"No, no... " She said quickly but gently, holding up her hand in a way to try and placate the young boy. The look on his face was incredulous, his mind was made up, but just as Regina tried desperately to think of some way to make him believe that she wasn't here for nefarious reasons, the now familiar feeling of frozen time settled upon her.

"Goodness me," said a voice that both women recognised immediately. "He really is very angry with you isn't he, my dear," Cronus said before smiling sadly at the small town Mayor. Emma, quickly adjusting to the situation, moved to place a supportive hand on the brunettes back.

"Yes he is, and with good reason," she sighed sadly. "Back then, when I began to sense that my dark curse was coming to an end, I did the only thing I knew how to do, I fought it. However, my tactics were somewhat brutal. I really hurt him, so yes, he is angry with me and I don't blame him." Upon hearing these words, Emma quickly pulled Regina into her side and kissed her softly on the temple, hoping to convey her love and understanding over a deed she could tell the other woman felt terrible about. "What is he doing here Cronus?" Regina asked in a tired voice.

It's not like she wasn't pleased to see her son, it had, after all, been weeks since she had actually seen him in her own timeline. But this version carried with him a whole raft of emotions Regina hadn't been expecting to confront today. "He is a day early and I'm willing to bet that that has something to do with you."

"You would be correct in that assumption," Cronus replied softly.

"Why?" She asked curiously.

"For you, my dear." He said simply, raising his hand to place it on her shoulder. "I know that out of everything you have done, the way you treated Henry before the curse broke is your biggest regret. I brought him here so that you can make amends, so he can see the wonderful person that you are capable of being and so that he can see the family that he will one day be a part of."

"How am I going to make amends Cronus? He hates me." She replied sadly.

"Talk to him, tell him the truth." He replied encouragingly. "Emma will help." When all he was greeted by was a sceptical look he added: "Please try, he might surprise you."

"We can do this Regina," Emma added with a huge smile on her face. "Together."

And just like that, the brunette believed that together, they could do anything. Even win over their very angry and untrusting ten-year-old son. She nodded her agreement, earning another supportive smile from both of her companions.

"Will he remember this after we cross the town line?" Emma quickly enquired.

"I'm not sure yet." Was his cryptic answer. "Tell him anyway," was his final piece of advice before he vanished and the clock started ticking again.

"Don't believe a word that she has told you, Emma. She is evil!" Henry said warningly as he turned wildly to address the woman that was, in his mind, his new and only mother.

"I know that you believe that right now, but there is so much about this situation that you don't know." She said softly while giving him an understanding smile.

"It is true, you have to believe me." He replied, with a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Kid, I..." Emma began but paused soon after when she realised that she had no idea what to say to him. "Why don't we all sit down and we can explain."

"I don't want to sit down and listen to anything she has to say!" He said angrily while gesturing towards the brunette.

"Please Henry," Regina said, trying and failing to conceal the hurt she felt from being so strongly rejected by the youth.

"No!" He shouted, before making a bolt for the door. It was an instinctual response, he had nowhere to go and no plan, he was just devastated that his plan to enlist Emma had seemingly not worked.

As the door slammed behind him, the two women looked at each other, desperately wondering what to do next.

"I'll go after him," Emma said quickly before heading out the door, leaving Regina alone with her own reeling thoughts.

* * *

"Henry, wait!" Emma shouted as she thundered down the stairwell in pursuit of her surprising quick son. With every corner she turned, she would catch only the slightest glimpse of the end of his scarf as he turned the next corner and out of her sight.

"Please, wait!" She tried again, turning yet another corner as they rapidly descended. This time, however, she saw no sign of him at the bottom of the flight. He was getting away.

Out of sheer desperation and fear she wouldn't get another chance, she shouted the words that she needed him to hear, just once, before he was gone. "I love you!"

She kept running down those stairs, she had to, even if he wasn't at the bottom when she got there. She couldn't give up. As she turned the next corner however, she was surprised to see that Henry had stopped in his tracks.

The words he had just heard were words he hadn't heard in a while and they had taken him by surprise, coming from someone who was essentially a total stranger.

His brunette mother hadn't said them in months and hearing them now he realised that he had missed them. He had heard them lots when he was younger, when she had been affectionate and present, but ever since Miss Blanchard had given him his book, she had grown distant and unkind.

"She has ruined everything!" He said unbelievingly to himself before shaking his head and looking at Emma sadly. "There is no hope for us now."

"There is always hope kid, don't ever give up," Emma replied vehemently, surprising even herself in the strength of her statement. She, once a child devoid of any hope for a better life was now its champion, thanks to the woman that her son was now claiming had taken his.

"You were supposed to save us all!" He almost shouted, with the beginnings of tears of frustration starting to appear in the corners of his eyes.

"And that I will." Emma declared with a confident smile that quickly stopped his descent into despondency. He looked at her curiously, desperately wanting to believe her. His mother. The woman that had given him away into the care of the Evil Queen. A woman who he had seen his resemblance to immediately. He really wanted to believe her, his book told him that she would save the town from the curse, but here she was, spending time with the woman who should be her sworn enemy, an enemy she isn't supposed to know yet. He realised with a start that something odd, or even magical was going on here.

And that is why, when a few moments later, she asked; "Can I tell you a story?" He nodded and sat down with her on the steps of the stairwell. "Do you believe in magic?" She asked, hoping to goodness that he did, otherwise her story would fall flat very quickly.

"Well... dah," Henry answered with a cheeky smile and an eye roll that was all Regina's. "My adoptive mother is the Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest and my grandparents are Snow White and Prince Charming. Of course I believe in magic." He said with all the attitude of a ten-year-old boy.

"Right, well..." Emma answered sheepishly, mentally kicking herself for asking that question in the first place. Meanwhile, Henry had made a mental note of the fact that none of what he had just said seemed to be a surprise to the blonde woman. Yes, there was something very strange going on here and he was intrigued. "When I was sixteen, I made a wish." She continued. Henry just looked back at her expectantly, waiting to hear how this was going to pan out. "My eh... my childhood wasn't great. I wasn't adopted like you were, I grew up in many different places and a lot of the time, I felt very angry and alone."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Henry replied softly, his obvious compassion taking Emma a little by surprise.

"When I was sixteen, I wished to know that I had someone somewhere who cared about me. Amazingly, that wish was granted and the universe brought me the most loving person I have ever known."

"Who?" He asked quizzically, seeming enthralled by Emma's story.

"The woman you just met in my apartment." The blonde answered softly. Henry's brow creased in utter confusion.

"I don't understand. That woman is my adopted mother, she is also the Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest."

"While it is true that she was once the Evil Queen, she is a very different person now. The Regina that you just met isn't the one that you left back in Storybrooke kid. She is from a time in our future where Storybrooke is no longer cursed."

"She's a time traveller?" He said with something that Emma suspected might be awe.

"It's a long story that we will happily tell you." She replied thoughtfully.

Henry was busy trying desperately to compute what time travel may have to do with anything when he had had another thought. She had said that Regina was from a time where Storybrooke wasn't cursed, wait, she knew about Storybrooke? He shook that off for now.

"But the book says that in order for the curse to break, you must defeat her. I assumed that meant killing her."

"I know that we don't know each other very well yet, but I hope you will come to learn that that's not how I do things, kid." Emma answered kindly.

"Then how did you defeat her?" He asked, utterly intrigued by the fact that there was an alternative.

"By loving her, and you." She answered simply.

At that, Henry's jaw dropped to his knees. "You love her? The Evil Queen? like... actually love love her?"

"Yes, I love love her and she isn't evil anymore, not in the future anyway and I'm not even sure your version is either. She is just lonely and scared of losing you."

"Really?" He asked, his voice full of youthful hope.

"Really. She is actually a very kind and loving person. I would like for you to meet the Regina that I know." She said with a bright smile.

"Wow." He answered, totally blown away by what Emma had said. He couldn't believe it, and yet, he found that he really wanted to. He didn't really want his adopted mom to die, he just wanted his life to be different and it sounded like Emma was the person who could make that difference.

And that is why, in a fit of youthful exuberance, he quickly and unexpectedly surged forward into her arms and Emma immediately felt like her heart it was going to burst out for her chest.

"I'm so happy to meet you, Henry," she said as she buried her nose into his hair, breathing in all that was Henry Mills. Her son.

"You too," he mumbled into her neck.

"Thank you for coming to find me." She said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

As they pulled apart several long moments later, Henry stayed close and lifted his hand to touch her golden curls.

"I thought you would have dark hair, like me and..." he stopped abruptly, realising he was about to mention a grandmother that Emma should have no knowledge of.

"My mother?" She questioned, slightly amused by his look of shock. "Sorry to disappoint kid,

"You're not a disappointment at all." He answered softly. "How do you know about Storybrooke and your mother?" He questioned.

"I met her, a long time ago... or in the future. It's kinda complicated. Anyway, I met her when I went to Storybrooke when I was sixteen."

Upon hearing that, Henry looked at his mother in surprised wonder.

"Please come back inside and we will explain everything." And that is what they did. They stood up and started to climb back up the stairs, hand in hand, in happy silence.

 **AN: I realise that you have all probably lost interest in this story, what with the larger gaps between updates. I've had a funny few months, life is a bugger like that, but I'm hoping things will start to settle down now that the new year is almost upon us.**

 **Happy New year everyone, and if Christmas is something that you do then I hope it was peaceful and full of love. Mine was.**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

With every step that Henry took back towards his newly found birth mothers apartment, he became more nervous about what, or rather who he was going to find there.

He had left everything behind, his whole life as he knew it to find the woman he was currently walking hand in hand with, to bring her to Storybrooke and restore the towns happy endings. But things had not gone to plan.

He had been thinking about his 'real' mother for quite some time now, ever since just after his ninth birthday when he found a button that opened a secret compartment within his mother's desk. Inside the shallow drawer that popped out, he found something that changed his life forever. His adoption papers.

Up until that moment, the possibility that the brunette Mayor hadn't brought him into this world had never crossed his mind. Even at nine, he knew the basics of where babies came from as he had asked one night over dinner and his mom hadn't hesitated to explain it to him - in an age-appropriate way of course. After that, he had asked about his father a few times, but sensing that the subject made his mom sad, he learned not to ask again. It had only ever been the two of them and that was ok. He didn't feel like he needed to know his dad and he certainly didn't need anyone else because up until then, he thought that his mom was the best.

After reading the papers, he silently slipped them back into the draw and subsequently slid into a world of confusion. His mom wasn't his mom, so who was she? Who was he? He didn't know anymore and he didn't know how to find the answers. Months went by and he was no closer to figuring any of it out. One day, the mayor sat him down and asked him what was wrong, she had clearly noticed that he had become withdrawn and wanted to know if there was anything that she could do to help. When the only answer he had given was silence, she said that maybe a visit to Dr Hopper would be a good idea.

And maybe it was because after many hours of talking about it, he began to understand why he had started to feel so angry with his adopted mother. With his permission, Archie had invited Regina to one of his sessions and she had been shocked when the Dr told her that the reason Henry was so upset was because of what he had discovered in her secret drawer. After her initial panic, they had talked it through as best they could, with a little help. Henry had asked why she had never told him he was adopted and her very honest answer was that to her, he is her son, she had simply never thought to bring it up as it never mattered to her that she hadn't given birth to him. But that day she discovered that it mattered to him and that, they promised they would work on, together.

Things had got a little better after that, they were both trying so hard. Henry was trying to get back to a place where he could see her as his mother and not the liar that his still black and white brain had painted her as and Regina was trying incredibly hard not to feel like she wasn't good enough for him and gods was that hard considering her past.

Things changed yet again when, a few weeks later, his teacher Miss Blanchard - who had sensed his resent unhappiness - had given him a book to read. It was an awfully big and heavy thing and he instantly wondered how he was going to be able to carry it home without pulling several muscles, but she had handed it over with such enthusiasm that the impeccable manners that his... guardian had taught him kicked in and he graciously accepted the gift.

That afternoon, Regina had picked him up from school on her way home after an early finish at Town Hall. She and had listened with a smile as he told her about the book he was holding tightly in his arms. Conversation between them had been strained for weeks, so to Regina, the simple act of chatting freely, even if it was about an old book, felt like progress. When she asked who had given it to him, he happily declared that it was a gift from his teacher. As he brightly smiled at her after giving his answer, he saw her right eye twitch ever so slightly at his words, but as soon as it was there, it had gone again because she was trying her hardest to reconnect with him and she knew that her usual expression of disdain for his favourite teacher wouldn't help at all. So instead, she simply smiled and said that it was a lovely gift.

When they got home, he went straight up into his room, something he had started doing soon after finding out he was adopted. Gone were the days when they would make dinner together while talking at great length about their favourite characters from the comics she had started buying him now that he was a little older.

Those nights had been nice. His mom had been attentive and fun, but they didn't happen anymore because she wasn't his mother. Instead, he hid himself away, with the excuse that he had homework to do, which he didn't. Now, he often read his comics alone and missed having someone to talk to about them.

That night however, he had something else to read. He started at the beginning and had got several stories in before he had been called down to dinner. After helping clear the table, he excused himself back to his room and back to the book. That night, he stayed up until the early hours, hungrily absorbing the fantastical stories held within its pages. He read about Princesses and brave Knights. Sheppard's who fell in love with bandits and a dark queen - who looked vaguely familiar - that desperately wanted to take away everyone's happiness.

The more he read, the more he came to realise that he could see the characters of the book in the people he saw around him every day.

There had always been something strange about the way that people acted in their small town. He began to notice the small things first, like how people seemed to have trouble remembering conversations he'd had with them the day before, and how they all seemed to be scared of the Mayor for some reason he couldn't work out. But if they were cursed and she was, in fact, The Evil Queen then all of these things would make perfect sense.

It couldn't possibly be true though, could it? Sure, things were a bit strained between him and his adopted mother right now but there was no way that she could be the evil queen from his book. That woman was cold and ruthless whereas he had never seen her be any of those things, not up until that point anyway.

No, he decided in those early hours not to jump to any conclusions. To watch and gather more information, to re-read the book and hunt around for any clues that would help him work out, one way or another, the truth about his home town.

And that was how Operation: Torch Holder was born, through his desire to shine the light of truth upon what was really going on around him. A few months and a lot of recognisance missions later - i.e. talking to the townspeople - he had come to the conclusion that it was indeed true. He had even begun to figure out the true identities of some people, for example, he was sure that his school teacher was, in fact, Snow White and the guy who had been in a coma for like, ever, had to be Prince Charming because he was the only person unconscious when the curse was enacted.

He even thought he knew who he might be... He knew that he hadn't been a part of the original curse, because there was no mention of him in the book and because he was growing older, whereas everyone else seemed to be stuck in time. And yet, here he was, linked to this somehow. The only way he could explain his existence was if he were born of someone from the old world who was free of the curse and by his reckoning, there was only one person that could be. According to the book, Snow White and Prince Charming had a daughter who they were forced to send away as a baby, in order to save them all in the future. He was sure that the realm she had been sent to was this one and that meant that she was his real mother and she was out there somewhere, waiting for her chance to defeat the Evil Queen and to bring back everyone's happy endings.

He wondered what she would be like. Recently, he had even taken to silently observing the two people in town who he thought may hold the answer to that question. He figured that she probably had dark hair, just like him and her mother, but would she be strong like her father, who's heart kept beating after all this time.

His home situation deteriorated further after Regina had found his mission logs and gone on a curse saving offensive and soon after, those hours of daydreaming about the Saviour became endless. And now, here she was and she seemed to be all of the things he had hoped she would be. She was pretty and seemed to be kind and smiled the biggest smile he thought he had ever seen as she told him that she loved him.

But meeting her had not gone at all to plan because, despite those things, The Evil Queen had beaten him to it.

* * *

In Emma and Henry's absence, Regina didn't have a clue what to do with herself. She wanted to follow them, but she knew that wouldn't help, not in a time when her son was so distrusting of her. No, she had to leave this to Emma and that was ok because she knew that she would be able to bring him back.

With the lack of anything else to do, she decided to make herself busy and the result of that was her slipping into 'mom mode'. She figured that Henry would be hungry after a long day on a bus and searching an unfamiliar city, so she silently set to work pouring him some juice and making his favourite sandwich.

Fifteen long minutes later, she heard the door finally open as mother and son trooped back into the apartment. Henry seemed to have calmed down a little and Emma was smiling lovingly at him as she guided him into the kitchen and towards his other mother.

"We're back," the blonde stated as she sat herself down at one of the seats at the breakfast bar. "We talked a little and I briefly explained to him how we know each other. I said it would be really cool if he came back up and met the version of you that I have known all these years," she explained as he too climbed up onto the other stool.

"That's great!" Regina exclaimed a little too overly animated, once she realised this, she made a mental note to try and dial it in a bit. "I'm pleased that you came back, thank you, Henry," she said a little more calmly.

Henry looked at her curiously, the woman before kinda looked like the woman he had left back in Storybrooke. But at the same time, she looked completely different. He didn't think that he had ever seen her looking so relaxed before, wearing jeans and a plaid shirt with odd socks on her feet. More surprising than that though was her hair. He, of course, knew that she had curly hair because he had lived with her all of his life. But he also knew that for some reason, she didn't like it and would never leave the house with it in its natural state. She was clearly very comfortable here, something he hadn't seen since before their shared session with Dr Hopper. It was nice.

As he continued to stare at her, he remembered Emma words from only a few minutes ago. This wasn't the woman he knew, not entirely anyway. She was more, she was from the future. A good future apparently. But that didn't mean that he could instantly let go of the hurt he felt at the way that the version he did know had been treating him lately. No, he was still upset with her.

In the few seconds it had taken for those thoughts to go through his mind, Regina had grown even more nervous in the silence and quickly broke it by asking "Are you Hungry?" It was only then that he noticed the sandwich and juice in front of him.

"I haven't eaten all day," Henry replied as he suddenly realised how hungry he actually was. "Is that for me?" He questioned.

"It is yes, go ahead," Regina said with a hesitant smile while gesturing towards the food.

More silence followed as he pulled the plate towards him and took a good look at its contents. He was surprised to note that it was his favourite. When he looked back up and saw her smile, he saw the warm-hearted woman who had raised him, the woman who strived to give him happiness by providing him with all of the things that he enjoyed. His heart briefly sang at seeing her this way again, until he remembered why things had changed. She was a villain and he needed to remember that.

"It's not poisoned, is it?" He asked pointedly as he looked her straight in the eye.

There was a heavy pause while everyone in the room processed that question. On some level, Regina supposed she should have been expecting it, but it still took her completely by surprise. Although considering what she had done to Snow all those years ago and also the apple turnover incident (which neither of her current companions actually knew about), she guessed it was a valid question. But it still hurt.

"No, you're good," she answered with a sad sigh.

Emma had been sitting quietly as she watched the interplay between her son and his other mother. But after what she had just heard, she couldn't stay quiet any longer. It turned out that over the years, she had become quite good at picking up on peoples moods when she wanted to, and with Regina, boy did she want to, so she immediately picked up on the fact that that question had really hurt.

For his part, Henry just sat there and continued to look at the brunette with an unsure look on his face and all Emma wanted, more than anything else right then, was to make everything better between the two most important people in her life. So, she did the first thing that came into her head - she grabbed half of the sandwich and took a big bite, prompting both Regina and Henry to look at her in shock.

"See, no poison," she proudly declared after finishing her mouthful. "Hmm, this is really good!" She exclaimed before taking another bite. Almost immediately, the tension melted away as Henry and Regina smiled at her enthusiasm before Henry swiftly grabbed the other half of the sandwich and dove in too. Regina couldn't help but laugh at their antics, they were just so similar and she loved them both so much.

"I'll make some more," she said with an affectionate laugh as she began pulling the ingredients back out of the fridge.

"Thanks," Emma replied happily.

"Yeah, err thanks..." Henry added hesitantly before tucking back into his food.

The whole time they ate, Emma continued to smile happily and asked him lots of questions about the things that he liked and didn't like. The more they talked, the more they realised that they were very similar in their interests and the pair of them couldn't be more thrilled about that. She was fun and was showing a genuine interest in him and his life, his 'real' mom was everything he could have imagined and more.

The one thing he had never imagined though, was his adoptive mother being present when he met her. And yet here she was and it was surprisingly ok because... she was different and he couldn't help but be fascinated by that.

"Emma said that you are from the future." He stated, turning the focus of the conversation towards her.

"That's right." She answered brightly, happy that he was talking to her at all.

"She said that where you are from, the curse is broken."

"Again, true." She replied.

"So you admit it then?" He asked matter-of-factly.

"Admit what?" She questioned, somewhat confused by the statement.

"I mean, I know it's true. But you have never admitted it to me. The curse I mean and who you really are."

Regina realised with a start that that was entirely true. In her time, all of that information was common knowledge and discussed openly and frequently, but this Henry, fresh from his escape from Storybrooke, had never actually heard the truth. Not from her anyway.

"Oh," she began to answer gently. "Yes Henry, it's all true. The town is cursed, or at least it was and once upon a time, I was known as the Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest... But that was a long time ago for me. Now, I'm just me. Now, I try every day to be a better person and with help, most days I manage that." When Henry remained silent for what felt like too long, she felt the need to elaborate."I will not make excesses for the terrible things that I did in the past, I owe that to the people I have wronged, but I hope one day that you will understand that your book doesn't tell the whole story of what happened to me and why I did the things that I did."

"I know that. How could it?" He replied quickly and confidently, surprising Regina as he did. "It's a storybook for children. I may only be ten but even I know life isn't that simple."

"No, it really isn't." She replied ruefully, genuinely surprised by the maturity of her son at this age. With that thought, she found herself thinking that perhaps she should have just told him the truth all those years ago.

"Why did you really cast the curse?" He asked, again taking her by surprise.

"I was pushed towards it by someone who did not have anyone but his own interests at heart. I was drowning by my pain and loneliness and he used that to his advantage. He told me that it would solve all of my problems, that it would make everything better. But it didn't. Not for a long time anyway, then, one day, things changed."

"What changed?"

"You came along. Holding you in my arms, loving you made my life worth living." She answered honestly.

Upon hearing those words, he couldn't help but smile. He knew the truth of them, he felt it then just like he had felt it most of his life. She did love him and he knew that but he was still not quite ready to forgive her for the way that she had made him feel.

"You made me feel like I was going crazy, you told me that all of this was in my imagination! Why? Why couldn't you just tell the truth when I asked you?" He asked with all the anger of a child who felt they had been wronged.

"I didn't tell you the truth because I was afraid that if I did, I would lose you." She answered dolefully. "After all, who could ever love an evil queen?"

"I could, I did, I... do." He admitted sincerely, surprising himself that he had said the words out loud, but he had said them and as he thought about it, he realised that they were the truth. He did love her. "You could have told me the truth," he added slightly petulantly, trying to cover the embarrassment he now felt at his admission.

"I'm so sorry Henry." She whispered as a wiped away a tear that had fallen onto her cheek upon hearing his words. Henry nodded in response, it wasn't an acceptance of the apology and Regina knew that. It was more like an acceptance of the fact that she had apologised in the first place.

A thoughtful silence fell as both Henry and Regina gathered themselves back together after such an emotionally charged conversation. Henry was amazed by the woman's raw honesty and found it hard to see her so clearly upset, so he quickly decided to change the subject.

"What's it like? The future I mean?"

"It's great!" Emma exclaimed, grateful that she could once again join the conversation. "You are sixteen and taller than both of us." She elaborated with a smile she shared with the brunette.

"You have a big and very loving family," Regina added. "A family that I am happy to say has accepted me into it." She said with a smile. "It took Emma and I a while to get used to both being your mom but we managed it, eventually. Up until very recently, you were free to come and go between our two homes as you pleaded."

"What happened recently to change that?" He quickly questioned. That was Henry for you, at any age, he never missed a thing.

"Well, recently we all moved in together," Regina answered slightly hesitantly. She wasn't aware of how much Emma had told him about their relationship so didn't want to give too much away in fear of ruining the progress she felt they had made over the last half hour. She honestly had no idea how this version of Henry would feel about them being together so she was thankful when he didn't question it.

"Like a proper family?" He asked instead, seemingly in awe of the idea.

"Yes, we are a real family." Regina answered and Henry found that he very much liked the idea of that.

"Tell me about your wish. Tell me how you both met." He asked Emma, changing the subject yet again, sparking the two women to began an animated tale of how they first came to meet. They spoke of the wish and the role that Regina had taken on at camp Lonestar, how Emma had soon come to know of Regina's true identity and instead of hating her for it, she had appreciated her presence even more. They then moved on to talk about Emma's first visit to Storybrooke, how she had met her older self and how her super cool, sixteen-year-old son had made her feel wanted and loved by playing endless hours of video games with her. Henry had particularly like that part.

After that, the story got really interesting when they told him about Cronus' involvement. How the lord of time himself had made it possible for these two women to spent time together throughout Emma's journey back to that small magical town in Maine. He found himself immensely happy that she hadn't had to go it entirely alone.

Then, they told him of his birth and took great care to explain to him why Emma hadn't been able to keep him, even though she had really wanted to. That part of the conversation had been hard, but that had gotten through it - together.

Lastly, they moved on to tales of different cities and the adventures they had had within them, it was during this time that Henry saw how close they had become and he instantly understood why. Regina had seen Emma through some really tough times in her life and because of that, their bond was undeniable.

After that realisation, Henry near enough stopped listening to what they were saying and just watched them as they spoke. They literally bounced off of each other, smiling brightly and finishing each other's sentences, adding bits that the other had seemingly left out, it was wonderful to see. Wonderful because here were his two moms, getting on, enjoying each other's company - something that he thought he would never see. Not ever. He had known all along that coming to find Emma would mean the end of his life as he knew it, but he never thought for one second that it would turn into what he was getting a glimpse right there in that apartment.

Emma had said outside that she never had any intention of destroying his adopted mother because there was no need to but he couldn't see how that was possible then. Now, a few hours later, he could. The increasingly more stern and untrustworthy brunette that he had left at home clearly no longer existed in the future and he found that this version, the carefree, curly-haired, loving version was much much better.

As they finished their tale when they had got to the present day, Henry tried his best to hide a yawn behind his hand. He was having such a good time in the company of the two women that he didn't want it to end. Unfortunately for him though, both of his companions noticed immediately and began the process of shuffling him towards the bed in the guest bedroom.

Once he was in and settled, both women wished him a good night from the door. Henry had other ideas though as he shyly asked them both to tuck him in. So in they went, one going to each side before making an exaggerated show of tucking him in and kissing him goodnight. Just before they left him to sleep, he managed to wrestle one arm free from the tight duvet to reach up and touch his brunette mothers hair.

"You look nice like this, I like this version of you." He said sleepily.

"Thank you Henry, so do I," she answered with a smile.

"Night kid," Emma said as she gently brushed her hand through his brown hair, earning her a bright smile.

"Good night Henry," Regina said as she began to move towards the door.

"Night moms." He whispered before falling asleep almost instantly.

 **AN: Goodness me, this chapter took some writing. I won't bore you with the details but for the longest time, I just couldn't get the flow right. Plus, I had a huge crisis of confidence, preventing me from posting it any sooner - which I'm actually quite happy about because I have spent hours re-writing and editing it today and it is much better than it was. Anyway, I hope it is all you were expecting. Hopefully see you all again soon.**


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